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. 2021 Feb;6(2):157-161.
doi: 10.1038/s41564-020-00830-7. Epub 2021 Jan 11.

Bacteriophage-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii are resensitized to antimicrobials

Fernando Gordillo Altamirano  1 , John H Forsyth  2 , Ruzeen Patwa  2 , Xenia Kostoulias  3 , Michael Trim  2 , Dinesh Subedi  2 , Stuart K Archer  4 , Faye C Morris  3 , Cody Oliveira  2 , Luisa Kielty  2 , Denis Korneev  2 , Moira K O'Bryan  2 , Trevor J Lithgow  3   5 , Anton Y Peleg  3   5   6 , Jeremy J Barr  7   8
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Bacteriophage-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii are resensitized to antimicrobials

Fernando Gordillo Altamirano et al. Nat Microbiol. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

We characterized two bacteriophages, ΦFG02 and ΦCO01, against clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii and established that the bacterial capsule is the receptor for these phages. Phage-resistant mutants harboured loss-of-function mutations in genes responsible for capsule biosynthesis, resulting in capsule loss and disruption of phage adsorption. The phage-resistant strains were resensitized to human complement, beta-lactam antibiotics and alternative phages and exhibited diminished fitness in vivo. Using a mouse model of A. baumannii infection, we showed that phage therapy was effective.

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References

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