Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork
Foodborne bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, are significant contributors to foodborne illnesses, with antibiotic overuse exacerbating the issue through the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. This study investigated the potential of E. coli phages in food safety, exami...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1516223/full |
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| author | Qinghai Ren Qinghai Ren Qinghai Ren Zhiwei Wang Yichen Ge Yucui Huang Wei Zhang Chunxue Liu Yubao Li Shengliang Cao |
| author_facet | Qinghai Ren Qinghai Ren Qinghai Ren Zhiwei Wang Yichen Ge Yucui Huang Wei Zhang Chunxue Liu Yubao Li Shengliang Cao |
| author_sort | Qinghai Ren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Foodborne bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, are significant contributors to foodborne illnesses, with antibiotic overuse exacerbating the issue through the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. This study investigated the potential of E. coli phages in food safety, examining their biological traits and bacteriostatic properties. Two phages (vB_EcoP_SD2, vB_EcoP_SD6) of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated from slaughterhouse sewage and characterized for morphology, genomic composition, phage phylogenetic tree, optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), one-step growth curve, thermal and pH stability and antibacterial efficacy. The optimal MOIs of vB_EcoP_SD2 and vB_EcoP_SD6 was 0.1 and 0.01, and temperature range for maintaining activity was 4°C to 55°C. The host range of vB_EcoP_SD2 and vB_EcoP_SD6 was 65% (13/20) and 55% (11/20), which was partially complementary to each other (75%, 15/20). Notably, vB_EcoP_SD2 displayed a latent period of 10 min, a burst period of 80 min, and a burst volume of 80 PFU per cell, while vB_EcoP_SD6 had a burst volume of 10 PFU per cell. Comprehensive whole-genome analysis confirmed two phages has no presence of pathogenic factors or resistance genes. Genomic comparisons suggest vB_EcoP_SD2 and vB_EcoP_SD6, respectively, constituted a novel member of a new genus, Justusliebigvirus genus and Kayfunavirus genus which genome, respectively, was found to be 1,49,066 bp, 40,202 bp long with an average GC content of 37.5 and 49.8%. The phages effectively inhibited host bacteria in LB broth for at least 6 h and showed promise in inhibiting bacteria in milk and pork, which indicated that the two phages exhibited a favorable bacteriostatic effect on milk and pork within the first 6 h under the optimal MOI. In the milk bacteriostasis experiment, vB_EcoP_SD2 could reduce bacteria by 3.16 × 104 CFU/mL, and vB_EcoP_SD6 could reduce bacteria by 1.05 × 104 CFU/mL. Phage vB_EcoP_SD2 decreased bacteria by 1.14 × 104 CFU/mL, and vB_EcoP_SD6 decreased bacteria by 2.04 × 103 CFU/mL in the pork. There was no disparity in bacteriostatic effect of different MOI within the first 6 h, but bacteriostatic effect of all groups still remained different from that of the control group. This study indicates the two phages possess excellent biological characteristics, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the subsequent development of natural fungicides. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0c28626d1a344951957a96305f3dbc47 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-0c28626d1a344951957a96305f3dbc472025-02-06T20:49:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-02-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15162231516223Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and porkQinghai Ren0Qinghai Ren1Qinghai Ren2Zhiwei Wang3Yichen Ge4Yucui Huang5Wei Zhang6Chunxue Liu7Yubao Li8Shengliang Cao9College of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaAnyou Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Suzhou, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaAnyou Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd., Suzhou, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, ChinaFoodborne bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, are significant contributors to foodborne illnesses, with antibiotic overuse exacerbating the issue through the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. This study investigated the potential of E. coli phages in food safety, examining their biological traits and bacteriostatic properties. Two phages (vB_EcoP_SD2, vB_EcoP_SD6) of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated from slaughterhouse sewage and characterized for morphology, genomic composition, phage phylogenetic tree, optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), one-step growth curve, thermal and pH stability and antibacterial efficacy. The optimal MOIs of vB_EcoP_SD2 and vB_EcoP_SD6 was 0.1 and 0.01, and temperature range for maintaining activity was 4°C to 55°C. The host range of vB_EcoP_SD2 and vB_EcoP_SD6 was 65% (13/20) and 55% (11/20), which was partially complementary to each other (75%, 15/20). Notably, vB_EcoP_SD2 displayed a latent period of 10 min, a burst period of 80 min, and a burst volume of 80 PFU per cell, while vB_EcoP_SD6 had a burst volume of 10 PFU per cell. Comprehensive whole-genome analysis confirmed two phages has no presence of pathogenic factors or resistance genes. Genomic comparisons suggest vB_EcoP_SD2 and vB_EcoP_SD6, respectively, constituted a novel member of a new genus, Justusliebigvirus genus and Kayfunavirus genus which genome, respectively, was found to be 1,49,066 bp, 40,202 bp long with an average GC content of 37.5 and 49.8%. The phages effectively inhibited host bacteria in LB broth for at least 6 h and showed promise in inhibiting bacteria in milk and pork, which indicated that the two phages exhibited a favorable bacteriostatic effect on milk and pork within the first 6 h under the optimal MOI. In the milk bacteriostasis experiment, vB_EcoP_SD2 could reduce bacteria by 3.16 × 104 CFU/mL, and vB_EcoP_SD6 could reduce bacteria by 1.05 × 104 CFU/mL. Phage vB_EcoP_SD2 decreased bacteria by 1.14 × 104 CFU/mL, and vB_EcoP_SD6 decreased bacteria by 2.04 × 103 CFU/mL in the pork. There was no disparity in bacteriostatic effect of different MOI within the first 6 h, but bacteriostatic effect of all groups still remained different from that of the control group. This study indicates the two phages possess excellent biological characteristics, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the subsequent development of natural fungicides.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1516223/fullEscherichia coli O157:H7phagebiological characteristicsgenomic analysisantibacterial effect |
| spellingShingle | Qinghai Ren Qinghai Ren Qinghai Ren Zhiwei Wang Yichen Ge Yucui Huang Wei Zhang Chunxue Liu Yubao Li Shengliang Cao Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork Frontiers in Microbiology Escherichia coli O157:H7 phage biological characteristics genomic analysis antibacterial effect |
| title | Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork |
| title_full | Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork |
| title_fullStr | Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork |
| title_short | Biological characterization of novel Escherichia coli O157:H7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork |
| title_sort | biological characterization of novel escherichia coli o157 h7 phages and their bacteriostatic effects in milk and pork |
| topic | Escherichia coli O157:H7 phage biological characteristics genomic analysis antibacterial effect |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1516223/full |
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