New Tool PhARIS Speeds Phage Identification for Targeted Infection Treatment
A groundbreaking lab tool, Phage Aureus RBP Identification System (PhARIS), has been developed by Professor Andreas Peschel and his team at the University of Tübingen. Published in Cell Reports, this tool can swiftly identify viruses, known as bacteriophages or phages, that can target and eliminate specific variants of the harmful Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
Phages are highly specific, allowing them to eradicate individual pathogens without disrupting the patient's overall healthy microbiome. This makes them an attractive alternative to antibiotics, particularly for treating multi-resistant pathogens like MRSA. The new tool, PhARIS, analyzes the genetic material of phages and recognizes their infectivity based on specific receptor-binding proteins. This allows it to identify phages capable of infecting specific Staphylococcus aureus variants within a few hours, making it a crucial tool for phage therapies.
The research team, part of the Excellence Cluster 'Control of Microorganisms for Combating Infections' (CMFI), plans to further develop PhARIS for other pathogens. Their goal is to create a standard tool for labs to use phages as a therapeutic alternative to antibiotics for many different bacterial infections. Phage therapies could be used to treat wound infections and infections associated with implants, offering a much-needed alternative to antibiotics.
The development of PhARIS is a significant step towards harnessing the power of phages in combating bacterial infections. Its ability to swiftly identify specific phages makes it a valuable tool in the fight against multi-resistant pathogens like MRSA. As research continues, phage therapies could become a standard treatment option, helping to overcome the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance.
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