Abstract

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is a small Deltaproteobacterium which, since its discovery, has distinguished itself for the unique ability to prey on other Gram-negative bacteria. The studies on this particular “predatory bacterium”, have gained momentum in response to the rising problem of antibiotic resistance, because it could be applied as a potential probiotic and antibiotic agent. Hereby, we present recent advances in the study of B. bacteriovorus, comprehending fundamental aspects of its biology, obligatory intracellular life cycle, predation resistance, and potential applications. Furthermore, we discuss studies that pave the road towards the use of B. bacteriovorus as a “living antibiotic” in human therapy, focussing on its interaction with biofilms, the host immune response, predation susceptibility and in vivo application models. The available data imply that it will be possible to upgrade this predator bacterium from a predominantly academic interest to an instrument that could confront antibiotic resistant infections.

摘要

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus是一种小型的 Deltaproteobacterium，自从它被发现以来，就以其独特的捕食其他革兰氏阴性细菌的能力而著称。对这种特殊“掠食性细菌”的研究在应对日益严重的抗生素耐药性问题方面取得了进展，因为它可以用作潜在的益生菌和抗生素制剂。在此，我们介绍了B. bacteriovorus研究的最新进展，了解其生物学的基本方面、强制性细胞内生命周期、抗捕食性和潜在应用。此外，我们讨论了为使用B. bacteriovorus铺平道路的研究作为人类治疗中的“活抗生素”，专注于其与生物膜的相互作用、宿主免疫反应、捕食易感性和体内应用模型。现有数据表明，有可能将这种捕食性细菌从主要的学术兴趣升级为一种可以对抗抗生素耐药性感染的工具。