Work

Reprogramming bacteriophage host range: design principles and strategies for engineering receptor binding proteins

Year: 2021

Type: review

Abstract: Bacteriophages (phages) use specialized tail machinery to deliver proteins and genetic material into a bacterial cell during infection. Attached at the distal ends of their tails are receptor binding proteins (RBPs) that recognize specific molecules exposed on host bacteria surfaces. Since the therapeutic capacity of naturally occurring phages is often limited by narrow host ranges, there is significant interest in expanding their host range via directed evolution or structure-guided engineering of their RBPs. Here, we describe the design principles of different RBP engineering platforms and draw attention to the mechanisms linking RBP binding and the correct spatial and temporal attachment of the phage to the bacterial surface. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms will directly benefit future engineering of more effective phage-based therapeutics.

Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology

DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.02.006

Authors: Matthew Dunne, Nikolai S Prokhorov, Martin J Loessner, Petr G Leiman

Institutions: ETH Zurich, Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Language: English

Topic: Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,650

Funder: National Institute of General Medical Sciences