Filamentous bacteriophage characterisation and biotechnological value

Author: Elene Kakabadze
Keywords: Filamentous bacteriophage, Biotechnology
Annotation:

Procariotic cell infecting virusies are designated as Bacteriophages. This type of viral particles are the most abundant near-life form on earth. Prokaryotic cells evolved in co-evolution with phages, therefore phages are strongly involved in Bacterial and Archaea population regulation and in some cases in bacterial strain pathogenesis. Due to their specific features, phages are widely used in Biotechnology. Filamentous bacteriophage are 6-10 nm wide and ≈900 nm length filamentous particles with ssDNA insert. Particular size of phage particle is defined by phage genome size. They infect gram-negative bacteria by specific adsorption to bacterial F-pili. In bacterial reproduction F-pili or sex pilus transfers plasmid DNA, or chromosome integrated plasmid DNA to recipient cell (Conjugation). Like all viruses, filamentous phages are inert outside the living organism. Activation and reproduction starts after host cell infection. In Case of filamentous phages, two distinguished life cycle is recognized: episomal replication mode and temperate phage type behavior-integration in host chromosome. In case of episomal infection, phage progeny leaves host cell using phage encoded protein channel. In contrast to tailed phages filamentous phage replication and progeny relies do not involve host cell burst or lysis, but remains fully viable. Due to this feature high yield of phage progeny can be harvested in short time (1013 pfu/ml). M13, F1 and Fd – are well characterized E.coli infective phages which are widly used in cloning, antibody display technology, short molecular chein and ctructural studeys. Filamentous phages are main object for phage display technology. Meaning specific target peptide display on gene-modified phages for further biotechnological and biomedical application. Also filamentous phages are used in wide range of Nanotechnological applications, such as Biosensors, Nanoelectronics, Organic-inorganic liquid crystal nanostructures, nanowires and nanorings, Inorganic nanostructures and lithium-ion nanobatteries.

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