From farm effluent to biotechnological potential: pGLS, a novel and resilient temperate bacteriophage with synergistic activity and broad antibiofilm properties against Staphylococcus and Mammaliicoccus.

AIMS: This study aimed to isolate and characterize a bacteriophage from dairy farm effluents capable of targeting Mammaliicoccus sciuri, a multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogen. The biotechnological potential of the phage, including its antibiofilm activity, synergistic interactions with antibiotics, and genomic features, was also assessed.

METHODS AND

RESULTS

The bacteriophage pGLS was isolated using M. sciuri GLS3 as the host strain, exhibiting extreme specificity by lysing only its host. Despite its narrow lytic spectrum, pGLS effectively disrupted biofilms formed by multiple Staphylococcaceae species, including multidrug-resistant strains, and demonstrated synergism with erythromycin, significantly reducing the minimum inhibitory concentration of both the phage and the antibiotic. The phage also displayed remarkable stability under extreme environmental conditions, such as UV exposure and a wide range of pH and temperature. Genomic analysis classified pGLS as a novel temperate phage with a 41 499 bp genome encoding 67 open reading frames, 52% of which were functionally annotated. No virulence or antimicrobial resistance genes were detected, reinforcing its safety for therapeutic applications.

CONCLUSION

The unique genomic characteristics, high environmental resilience, and antibiofilm efficacy of pGLS highlight its strong biotechnological potential for mitigating antimicrobial resistance, particularly in livestock settings. Its synergistic interactions with antibiotics further support its potential as an adjunct therapy against resistant Staphylococcaceae infections.