Cell wall deficiency as an escape mechanism from phage infection

Abstract

The cell wall plays a central role in protecting bacteria from some environmental stresses, but not against all. In fact, in some cases, an elaborate cell envelope may even render the cell more vulnerable. For example, it contains molecules or complexes that bacteriophages recognize as the first step of host invasion, such as proteins and sugars, or cell appendages such as pili or flagella. In order to counteract phages, bacteria have evolved multiple escape mechanisms, such as restriction-modification, abortive infection, CRISPR/Cas systems or phage inhibitors. In this perspective review, we present the hypothesis that bacteria may have additional means to escape phage attack. Some bacteria are known to be able to shed their cell wall in response to environmental stresses, yielding cells that transiently lack a cell wall. In this wall-less state, the bacteria may be temporarily protected against phages, since they lack the essential entities that are necessary for phage binding and infection. Given that cell wall deficiency can be triggered by clinically administered antibiotics, phage escape could be an unwanted consequence that limits the use of phage therapy for treating stubborn infections.

A Flexible and Efficient Microfluidics Platform for the Characterization and Isolation of Novel Bacteriophages

“…3B and C ). This resembles our previously reported observations that described a phage-induced escape mechanism that allows the bacterial cell to shed its cell wall and thereby evade phage predation ( 12 , 19 ). By exposing these spherical cells to water, we observed that the majority of cells were lysed, which indicates that these are likely not spores but indeed cell wall-deficient cells as described in Ongenae et al ( 12 , 19 ) (Fig.…”

A flexible and efficient microfluidics platform for the characterization and isolation of novel bacteriophages

“…3B-C). This resembles our previously reported observations which described phage induced escape mechanism that allows the bacterial cell to shed its cell wall and thereby evade phage predation (13,19). By exposing these spherical cells to water, we observed that the majority of cells were lysed which indicates that these are likely not spores but indeed cell wall-deficient cells as described in Ongenae et al (13,19) (Fig.…”

Microbial Repercussion on Hemodialysis Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection Outcome: A 2-Year Retrospective Study: An Escape Mechanism Comment [Letter]

“…This may suggest that these diagnostic criteria and performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing are not inclusive. For instance, cell wall deficiency has been recently proposed as an escape mechanism from phage infection 5 which has not been included in the latest versions of IDSA diagnostic criteria.…”

“…In this state, the bacteria may be transiently protected against phages, because they lack the necessary entities that are required for phage binding and consequent infection. Since lack and/or deficiency of cell wall can be triggered by a range of antibiotic administration, phage escape is proposed as an undesirable repercussion 5 that can practically limit the use of phage therapy in special settings like hemodialysis units.…”