Self-assembling T7 phage syringes with modular genomes for targeted delivery of penicillin against β-lactam-resistant Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Bacteriophages are promising alternative antimicrobial agents due to their high specificity for host bacteria and minimal immunogenicity in humans. However, their therapeutic application is limited by their nature as biological entities, with potential evolutionary consequences. In this study, we address these challenges by repurposing only the structural components of bacteriophages as vesicles to deliver antibiotics directly into the cytoplasm of bacterial hosts. This approach is based on two key hypotheses: first, antibiotics such as β-lactams remain effective against resistant bacteria if injected directly into the cytoplasm, bypassing resistance mechanisms; second, phage structures can be synthesized and self-assembled in vitro using modular genomes and cell-free protein expression to

SUBMITTER: Shim H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12220360 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature