Isolation and characterization of a new Staphylococcus epidermidis broad-spectrum bacteriophage

Luís D. R. Melo, Sanna Sillankorva, Hans-Wolfgang Ackermann, Andrew M. Kropinski, Joana Azeredo, Nuno Cerca

¹Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4700-057 Braga, Portugal

²Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC G1X 4C6, Canada

³Public Health Agency of Canada, Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Guelph, ON N1G 3W4, Canada

⁴Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada

Correspondence
Nuno Cerca nunocerca{at}ceb.uminho.pt

Abstract

Staphylococcus epidermidis is considered an important nosocomial pathogen, being very tolerant to the host immune system and antibiotherapy, particularly when in biofilms. Due to its high resistance, alternative antimicrobial strategies are under development. The use of bacteriophages is seen as an important strategy to combat pathogenic organisms. In this study, a S. epidermidis myovirus, SEP1, was isolated and characterized. The genome of this phage was sequenced and shown to be related peripherally to the genus Twortlikevirus. However, when compared with other phages of this genus, it showed DNA sequence identities no greater than 58.2 %. As opposed to other polyvalent viruses of the genus Twortlikevirus, SEP1 is highly specific to S. epidermidis strains. The good infectivity shown by this phage as well as its high lytic spectrum suggested that it might be a good candidate for therapeutic studies.