Pf bacteriophages hinder sputum antibiotic diffusion via electrostatic binding.

ABSTRACT: Despite great progress in the field, chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis, necessitating treatment with inhaled antibiotics. Pf phage is a filamentous bacteriophage produced by Pa that has been reported to act as a structural element in Pa biofilms. Pf presence has been associated with resistance to antibiotics and poor outcomes in cystic fibrosis, though the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we have investigated how Pf phages and sputum biopolymers impede antibiotic diffusion using human sputum samples and fluorescent recovery after photobleaching. We demonstrate that tobramycin interacts with Pf phages and sputum polymers through electrostatic interactions. We als

SUBMITTER: Chen Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10942440 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature