Inovirus-Encoded Peptides Induce Specific Toxicity in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>
<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is a common opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. The primary treatment for infections typically involves antibiotics, which can lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Therefore, there is a pressing need for safe and ef...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/1/112 |
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| Summary: | <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is a common opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. The primary treatment for infections typically involves antibiotics, which can lead to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Therefore, there is a pressing need for safe and effective alternative methods. Phage therapy stands out as a promising approach. However, filamentous prophages (Pfs) commonly found in <i>P. aeruginosa</i> encode genes with phage defense activity, thereby reducing the efficacy of phage therapy. Through a genomic analysis of the Pf4 prophage, we identified a 102 bp gene co-transcribed with the upstream gene responsible for phage release (<i>zot</i> gene), giving rise to a 33-amino-acid polypeptide that we have named Pf4-encoded toxic polypeptide (PftP4). The overexpression of PftP4 demonstrated cellular toxicity in <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, with subcellular localization indicating its presence in the cell membrane and a subsequent increase in membrane permeability. Notably, PftP4 homologues are found in multiple Pf phages and exhibit specificity in their toxicity towards <i>P. aeruginosa</i> among the tested bacterial strains. Our study reveals that the novel Pf-encoded polypeptide PftP4 has the potential to selectively target and eradicate <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, offering valuable insights for combating <i>P. aeruginosa</i> infections. |
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| ISSN: | 1999-4915 |