Research Explorer

Project

Engineered phages and tailocins targeting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
Code
01CD11123
Duration
01 November 2023 → 29 February 2024
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Bacteriology
    • Infectious diseases
    • Virology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Synthetic biology
Keywords
tailocin receptor-binding protein (RBP) Bacteriophage synthetic biology Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) horizontal gene transfer
 
Project description

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Their receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) specifically bind
bacterial outer cell structures. Tailocins are morphologically similar to head-less myovirus
bacteriophages. This project aims to turn well-characterized, safe phages and tailocins into highly
specific Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) targeting compounds by swapping RBPs across
phages, followed by a benchmark of their activities.