Antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacterial wound infections (WIs) impose major burdens on healthcare systems, exacerbated by ineffective therapies and stalled antibiotic development. Phage therapy and phage-derived enzymes have gained traction as potent alternatives, leveraging targeted bactericidal mechanisms to combat AR pathogens. In this review, we summarised the antimicrobial mechanisms of both phage therapy and phage-derived enzymes as antimicrobial therapy, and outlined recent advances in their use for in vitro , in vivo and clinical applications for WI management. In addition, we also highlights recent advancements in their development, driven by genetic engineering, chemical modifications, and artificial intelligence. Finally, we identified the potential barriers and challenges they may encounter in clinical practice and the corresponding strategies to address these issues. The entire review gives us a comprehensive understanding of the latest advances in phages and their derivative enzyme therapies for treating WIs, in the hope that research in this field will continue to improve and innovate, accelerating the transition from the laboratory to application at the bedside and ultimately improving the efficacy of treatment for AR bacterial WIs.
Humans ; Phage Therapy/methods* ; Wound Infection/drug therapy* ; Bacteriophages/enzymology* ; Enzyme Therapy/methods* ; Animals ; Bacterial Infections/therapy*

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of phage lysin on the growth of lysogens.

METHODSSputum specimens processed by modified Petroff's method were respectively treated with phagebiotics in combination with lysin and lysin alone. The specimens were incubated at 37 °C for 4 days. At the end of day 1, 2, 3 and day 4, the specimens were streaked on blood agar plates and incubated at 37 °C for 18-24 hours. The growth of normal flora observed after day 1 was considered as lysogens.

RESULTSSputum specimens treated with phagebiotics-lysin showed the growth of lysogens. When specimens treated with lysin alone, lysogen formation was avoided and normal flora was controlled.

CONCLUSIONSLysin may have no effect on the growth of lysogens.

Bacteria ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Bacteriophages ; enzymology ; Lysogeny ; Microbial Viability ; drug effects ; Mucoproteins ; metabolism ; Sputum ; microbiology ; Temperature ; Time Factors

The lysin gene of Bacillus anthracis-diagnosing bacteriophage, obtained by PCR amplification,was cloned into the Escherichia coli exepression vector pET22b which has been cleaved by EcoR I and Nde I. The recombinant vector pET22b-gamma lysin was verified to be correctly constructed by PCR, sequencing and enzyme digestion, and highly expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3), which accounted for about 40 percent of total protein in E. coli BL21 (DE3), while in the 5L fermentor the expression level reached 15g/L. After expression, disruption and purification with three-step chromatography, Streamline SP, SP HP and Sephacryl S-100, the recombinant gamma lysin was finally obtained with purity of higher than 95 percent as determined by gel scan. The final yield following SP HP was 19.1 percent, with a greater-than-350-fold increase in specific activity. The pure enzyme has been shown active to Bacillus anthracis, and not to E. coli, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus. Its specific activity was about 1400 u/mg.
Bacillus anthracis ; virology ; Bacteriophages ; enzymology ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; genetics