Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38951769›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2024

fENko-Kae01 is a flagellum-specific jumbo phage infecting Klebsiella aerogenes.

Kira Ranta, Mikael Skurnik, Saija Kiljunen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The biology of jumbo phages.Nature communications · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Kira RantaHUS Diagnostic Center, Clinical Microbiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Mikael SkurnikHuman Microbiome Research Program, Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Saija KiljunenHuman Microbiome Research Program, Research Program Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. saija.kiljunen@helsinki.fi.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKlebsiella aerogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that causes a wide variety of infections. Due to the rising problem of antibiotic resistance, novel antibiotics and strategies to combat bacterial infections are needed. Host-specific bacteriophages are natural enemies of bacteria and can be used in phage therapy as an alternative form of treatment against bacterial infections. Jumbo phages are defined as phages with genomes larger than 200 kb. Relatively few studies have been done on jumbo phages compared to smaller phages.

resultsA novel phage, fENko-Kae01, was isolated from a commercial phage cocktail. Genomic analysis revealed that fENko-Kae01 is a lytic jumbo phage with a 360 kb genome encoding 578 predicted genes. No highly similar phage genomes were identified and fENko-Kae01 may be a completely new genus representative. No known genes associated with lysogenic life cycle, bacterial virulence, or antibiotic resistance were identified. The phage had myovirus morphology and a narrow host range. Phage resistant bacterial mutants emerged under phage selection. Whole genome sequencing revealed that the biogenesis of the flagellum was affected in four mutants and the lack of functional flagellum was confirmed in motility assays. Furthermore, phage fENKo-Kae01 failed to adsorb on the non-motile mutants indicating that the bacterial flagellum is the phage-binding receptor.

conclusionsfENko-Kae01 is a novel jumbo bacteriophage that is considered safe for phage therapy. fENko-Kae01 uses the flagellum as the phage-binding receptor and may represent a completely novel genus.

Indexed as

BacteriophagesEnterobacter aerogenesFlagellaGenome, ViralHost SpecificityMyoviridaeWhole Genome SequencingBacteriophageFlagellum-dependentJumbo phageKlebsiella aerogenesPhage-binding receptorPhage resistancePhage therapy

Identifiers

PMID38951769
PMCPMC11218385

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.