The phages are isolated by collecting a soil sample which is incubated with m. smeg. This is centrifuged with LB media to isolate a lysate. This is plated (fig. 2) and plaques that form are taken and are streaked two times (fig. 3).
Bacteriophages are alternatives to antibiotics. This is especially important for antibiotic resistant infections because conventional antibiotics may be ineffective.
What we would do is infect m. smeg with a temperate phage of the same cluster on a agar plate. Then we would isolate lysogens (by taking a sample from the plaques from the plate). Next we would create a lawn of these lysogens and add varying concentrations of our phage to the plate. The size of the plaques that form will indicate if our phage is effective or not at infecting lysogens.
bacteriophages are not necessarily more beneficial than antibiotics, they have pros and cons. Some pros are that they can evolve as the bacteria does (decreases resistance), they are good at clearing bio-films, they are specific to a certain bacteria and are wildly abundant.
Can you explain your methodologies used to obtain those images, broadly? How did you make those isolations?
The phages are isolated by collecting a soil sample which is incubated with m. smeg. This is centrifuged with LB media to isolate a lysate. This is plated (fig. 2) and plaques that form are taken and are streaked two times (fig. 3).
Can you give me reasons why people would want to use these viruses in medicine and treatments?
Bacteriophages are alternatives to antibiotics. This is especially important for antibiotic resistant infections because conventional antibiotics may be ineffective.
In what ways could you identify if it is effective or ineffective at infecting the lysogens in the same cluster?
What we would do is infect m. smeg with a temperate phage of the same cluster on a agar plate. Then we would isolate lysogens (by taking a sample from the plaques from the plate). Next we would create a lawn of these lysogens and add varying concentrations of our phage to the plate. The size of the plaques that form will indicate if our phage is effective or not at infecting lysogens.
Can you explain how they would be more beneficial than antibiotics?
bacteriophages are not necessarily more beneficial than antibiotics, they have pros and cons. Some pros are that they can evolve as the bacteria does (decreases resistance), they are good at clearing bio-films, they are specific to a certain bacteria and are wildly abundant.