Posters and presentation information
Thank you for considering to present your work as a poster at Phages 2018.
Please prepare your poster in A1 portrait format (59cm wide x 84cm long). Please do not laminate your poster. Further information about poster sizes can be found on the following link:
Posters larger than A1 will only be displayed subject to the availability of space.
Maximum capacity 20 A1 potrait posters
Please ensure you have appropriate permissions for the publication of your abstract from the original copyright holders. Should you wish your abstract not to be published, please notify us in writing at the time of abstract submission.
Poster presenters will be required to send us their poster as PDF at least two weeks before the event. The posters will be made available via the event website or other electronic media after the event (see copyright terms).
>>Where can I print my poster in Oxford?
Posters will be displayed for the full duration of the conference.Titles of accepted poster abstracts will be displayed below.
Accepted posters
(Presenters in Bold)
If your abstract has been accepted for presentation but it does not appear in the list below, please let us know as soon as possible by email at PhageOxford@gmail.com.
A selection of posters can be downloaded on this link (password protected).
Identification of the endolysin encoded by Deep-Blue phages infecting Bacillus weihenstephanensis
Audrey Leprince1, Louise Hock1, Annika Gillis1,2 and Jacques Mahillon1
1Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
2Imperial College, London, UK.
Since several years, there is a renewed interest in phages and their derived proteins for various applications. Among the phage proteins, endolysins are peptidoglycan degrading enzymes synthetized at the end of the lytic cycle. In combination with holins, they are responsible for the lysis of the host cell allowing the release of newly synthetized virions. Endolysins from phages infecting Gram-positive bacteria are organized into two domains: the C-terminal Cell Wall Binding domain (CBD) binds specifically bacteria thus influencing the host spectrum, whereas the N-terminal part contains the Enzymatically Active Domain (EAD) that cleaves conserved bonds in the peptidoglycan. This study focuses on the endolysin encoded by Deep-Blue [1] phage infecting B. weihenstephanensis and belonging the Myoviridae family. In silico analyses revealed that Deep-Blue gp221 is a good endolysin candidate. This protein has a Peptidase_M15_4 conserved domain from the VanY superfamily as EAD, which is also present in the endolysins of phages B4 [2] (LysB4) and Phrodo [3] (PlyP56) infecting members of the Bacillus cereus group. As for the CBD, two SH3 domains were detected at the C terminus end of gp221. The putative endolysin was cloned and expressed to assess its lytic activity. Similarly the CDB was fused to an N-terminal GFP and expressed in order to evaluate its binding capacities. Gp221 has a broader spectrum than its related phage and showed lytic activities not only against B. weihenstephanensis but also against other members of the B. cereus group that cannot be infected by Deep-Blue phage. Additionally, gp221 CBD is able to bind the surface of several strains of the B. cereus group. Characterization studies of both endolysins, including host spectrum, pH, temperature and salt concentration for optimal activity will be presented and discussed.
Analysis of antibacterial activity of endolysin LysinT25, encoded by Lactobacillus paracasei bacteriophage FT25, against Gram-positive bacteria
Sirinthorn Sunthornthummas1, Katsumi Doi2, Yasuhiro Fujino2, Achariya Rangsiruji1 and Onanong Pringsulaka3
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
2Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Technology, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan 812-8581
3Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand 10110
Endolysins are bacteriophage-encoded lytic enzymes that are able to cleave the peptidoglycan of the bacterial cell wall at the end of the infection cycle. Due to their narrow target specificity and low probability of developing bacterial resistance, the endolysins are considered to be alternative antimicrobials for treatment of bacterial infections. In this study, an endolysin gene encoded for LysinT25 from Lactobacillus paracasei bacteriophage FT25 was cloned, overexpressed and characterized. LysinT25 possessed a lysozyme-like (N-acetyl-β-D-muramidase) catalytic domain and LysM cell wall binding domain in its N- and C-termini, respectively. The activity of the recombinant endolysin protein was determined by spotting of LysinT25 onto lawns of 20 strains of lactic acid bacteria. The results showed that LysinT25 was able to lyse 4 strains of the lactic acid bacteria, including L. casei TISTR 390, L. casei TISTR 1463, L. casei TISTR 1500 and Streptococcus thermophilus TISTR 894 with broader lytic spectrum than that of the parental phage FT25. LysinT25 also exerted potential enzybiotic activity against L. paracasei LPC which is usually resistant to commercial egg white lysozyme. Hence, the application of this endolysin in fermented food industries may provide an alternative treatment strategy to reduce specific contaminant species.
Investigation of efficacy and toxicity of Acinetobacter baumannii bacteriophages towards their hosts in biofilms, and human cells
Sophie E Smith1, Kathryn Styles1, Gabrielle Christie1, Elizabeth M. Wellington1, Andrew Millard2, Sutthirat Sitthisak3,4, and Antonia P Sagona1
1School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
2Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, United Kingdom
3Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
4Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen, which is associated with nosocomial infections. It is frequently multi- drug resistant and can be resistant to all first line antibiotics. Finding an antibiotic which it is susceptible to can be difficult, causing delays to treatment which some patients cannot afford. This problem is particularly pronounced in Thailand, where it is the second most common cause of hospital-acquired infections. In this project, bacteriophages infecting clinical A. baumannii isolates from a hospital in Thailand were characterised in terms of efficacy, both against planktonic bacteria and biofilms and in their toxicity towards human cells. We present that bacteriophages have the potential to be used in the control of A. baumannii in Thai hospitals, as they effectively lyse bacteria, including biofilms, without causing toxicity to human cells.
Introducing next-generation phage biocontrol in crop production
Dominique Holtappels1, Sofie Rombouts1, Louis Lippens2, Sabien Pollet3, Sofie Venneman4, Steve Baeyen5, Martine Maes5, Johan Van Vaerenbergh5, Rob Lavigne1, Jeroen Wagemans1
1KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
2Proefcentrum voor de Groenteteelt Oost-Vlaanderen, Kruishoutem, Belgium
3Inagro, Beitem, Belgium
4Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
5ILVO, Merelbeke, Belgium
Bacterial infections in agriculture are estimated to cause losses up to 10%. Relevant crops for agriculture in Belgium (Flanders) include Pseudomonas syringae pv. porri (Pspo) and Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc). These bacteria are known to cause bacterial blight in leek and black rot in Brassica spp., respectively. Until recently, bacterial infections were treated using copper-based chemicals and antibiotics like streptomycin. However, the use of these compounds is not sustainable since they are prone to resistance development and have a detrimental impact on the environment. A valuable alternative is the use of biocontrol agents like bacteriophages to fight bacterial infections. In this regard, different phages have been isolated to tackle both Pspo and Xcc infections. These phages are being investigated both genetically and microbiologically to determine their resistance potential and phage receptor, infection efficiency, biosafety and potential to be used in phage biocontrol. Field trials are ongoing. Moreover, evolution experiments are being performed to select for phages with higher in planta survival.
