Isolation and Characterization of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteriophage Vanarele

Antibiotic resistant bacteria have become a major problem in the United States, making treatment of patients a nightmare for hospitals. Phage therapy has reemerged as a possible solution to this ever increasing problem. A novel bacteriophage that infects a biosafety level 2 bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 15692, was isolated from wastewater in Bemidji, MN and named Vanarele. Antibiotic resistant strains of this bacterium are a major cause of disease in immunocompromised patients. Infection from this bacterium is commonly found in patients with cystic fibrosis and burn wound victims. This bacterium commonly forms biofilms that can be problematic in patient airways and catheters. Characterization of the bacteriophage Vanarele that infects strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could provide insight and tools that may be utilized in the treatment of antibiotic resistant infections. The phage was isolated utilizing an enrichment procedure and six rounds of plaque purification. Plaque morphology was examined for the isolated phage and was found to have a slight turbid, halo appearance with an average diameter of 3 mm. Once the bacteriophage had been completely isolated a high titer lysate was harvested. Transmission electron microscopy was then performed to visualize phage size. A capsid size of 40 nm was observed. Currently, the effectiveness of the bacteriophage to break down biofilms formed by multiple strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is being tested. The characterization of this phage will add to our knowledge of bacteriophages and may aid in development of new treatments for antibiotic resistant infections. Support or Funding Information This work was supported by Bemidji State University Biology Department and the College of Business, Mathematics, and Science.