Virulence Changes to Harveyi Clade Bacteria Infected with Bacteriophage from Vibrio owensii

Abstract

Vibrio owensii is one of the most virulent vibrios known being able to kill crustacean larvae at 10 2 CFU ml -1 . This study describes virulence changes to naïve strains of Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio campbellii when infected with the bacteriophage VOB from a closely related species V. owensii 47666-1. The bacteriophage from V. owensii was induced into lytic phase by using mitomycin C at 100 ng ml -1 . One strain of V. harveyi and two strains of V. campbellii from 29 tested containing no prophage were susceptible to lysogenic conversion with VOB. Virulence changes induced in Harveyi clade bacteria included the upregulation of protein secretion, statistically significant increased haemolysin and chitinase production and increased mortality to nauplii of Penaeus monodon. No change in siderophore production was observed. Bacteriophage VOB is likely to be responsible for some of the virulence factors expressed by V. owensii. As this bacteriophage is able to infect strains of V. harveyi and V. campbellii this phage may contribute to increased virulence of other vibrios in aquaculture and in the natural environment.

Diversification of Vibrio anguillarum Driven by the Bacteriophage CHOED

“…Outer membrane protein extraction was performed according the protocol described by Busico-Salcedo and Owens (2013), with some modifications. Briefly, the bacteria were cultured overnight at 25°C with agitation stirring.…”

Isolation and characterisation of Vibrio alginolyticus lytic bacteriophage φVa-1 from brackishwater clam Meritrix meritrix in India

“…such as V. paraheamolyticus, V. cholerae, V. fluvials, V. vulnificus and V. harveyi have been isolated from seafoods. However, published reports on bacteriophages from V. alginolyticus is rare (Spencer 1960;Kellogg et al, 1995;De Paola et al, 1998;Pasharawipas et al, 2005;Vinod et al, 2006;Chrisolite et al, 2008;Busico-Salcedo and Owens, 2013). The present study reports isolation and characterisation of a V. alginolyticus lytic bacteriophage from the brackishwater clam M. meretrix.…”

Review of alternatives to antibiotic use in aquaculture

“…Bacteriophages can also exist as prophages integrated into the DNA of the host or as replicons, such as Vibrio spp 151,154,156 . Prophages may or may not be associated with lysogeny, 156,159 which may vary according to geographic regions, 155 and with depth of marine species 152 . Phages infect many species of bacterial pathogens of fish (Table 4).…”

“…There are many reports of phage therapy used against the bacterial genera Vibrionaceae , which are abundant in the aquatic environment and are the most common bacterial genera that cause disease in aquatic organisms 70,180–182 . Phages may be used to control the most destructive bacteria; for example, Vibrio harveyi , 159,178,183–186 V. parahaemolyticus , 164,178,187 V. anguillarum , 151,156,157,166,172,178,181,188,189 V. alginolyticus 168,178 and V. splendidus which infects molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms and fish 176,190 …”