Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40132484›Full record

ArticleMicrobiological research2025

Isolation of phages infecting the zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis reveals novel structural and genomic characteristics.

Emmanuel Kuffour Osei, Reuben O'Hea, Christian Cambillau, Ankita Athalye, Frank Hille, Charles M A P Franz, Áine O'Doherty, Margaret Wilson, Gemma G R Murray, Lucy A Weinert and 3 more

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Article in Microbiological research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Genomics of Irish swine-derivedMicrobial genomics · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Emmanuel Kuffour OseiSchool of Microbiology, University College Cork, Co., Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland; Food Bioscience, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Co, Cork P61 C996, Ireland.
Reuben O'HeaSchool of Microbiology, University College Cork, Co., Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland.
Christian CambillauSchool of Microbiology, University College Cork, Co., Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland; Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM), Institut de Microbiologie, Bioénergies et Biotechnologie (IMM), Aix-Marseille Université - CNRS, Marseille UMR 7255, France.
Ankita AthalyeSchool of Microbiology, University College Cork, Co., Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland.
Frank HilleDepartment of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institute, Hermann-Weigmann-Str. 1, Kiel 24103, Germany.
Charles M A P FranzDepartment of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institute, Hermann-Weigmann-Str. 1, Kiel 24103, Germany.
Áine O'DohertyCentral Veterinary Research Laboratory, Backweston, Co, Kildare, Ireland.
Margaret WilsonCentral Veterinary Research Laboratory, Backweston, Co, Kildare, Ireland.
Gemma G R MurrayDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
Lucy A WeinertDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
Edgar Garcia ManzanillaPig and Poultry Research and Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, P61 C996, Ireland; School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Co., Dublin D04 V1W8, Ireland.
Jennifer MahonySchool of Microbiology, University College Cork, Co., Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland. Electronic address: j.mahony@ucc.ie.
John G KennyAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Co, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland; Food Bioscience, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Co, Cork P61 C996, Ireland; VistaMilk SFI Research Centre, Fermoy, Co, Cork P61 C996, Ireland. Electronic address: John.Kenny@teagasc.ie.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Bacteriophage research has experienced a renaissance in recent years, owing to their therapeutic potential and versatility in biotechnology, particularly in combating antibiotic resistant-bacteria along the farm-to-fork continuum. However, certain pathogens remain underexplored as targets for phage therapy, including the zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis which causes infections in pigs and humans. Despite global efforts, the genome of only one infective S. suis phage has been described. Here, we report the isolation of two phages that infect S. suis: Bonnie and Clyde. The phages infect 58 of 100 S. suis strains tested, including representatives of seven different serotypes and thirteen known sequence types from diverse geographical origins. Clyde suppressed bacterial growth in vitro within two multi-strain mixes designed to simulate a polyclonal S. suis infection. Both phages demonstrated stability across various temperatures and pH levels, highlighting their potential to withstand storage conditions and maintain viability in delivery formulations. Genome comparisons revealed that neither phage shares significant nucleotide identity with any cultivated phages in the NCBI database and thereby represent novel species belonging to two distinct novel genera. This study is the first to investigate the adhesion devices of S. suis infecting phages. Structure prediction and analysis of adhesion devices with AlphaFold2 revealed two distinct lineages of S. suis phages: Streptococcus thermophilus-like (Bonnie) and S. suis-like (Clyde). The structural similarities between the adhesion devices of Bonnie and S. thermophilus phages, despite the lack of nucleotide similarity and differing ecological niches, suggest a common ancestor or convergent evolution, highlighting evolutionary links between pathogenic and non-pathogenic streptococcal species. These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of phages that can infect S. suis, providing new data for the therapeutic application of phages in a One Health context.

Indexed as

BacteriophagesGenome, ViralStreptococcus PhagesStreptococcus suisAnimalsGenomicsHost SpecificityHumansPhylogenyStreptococcal InfectionsSwineAdhesion devicesAntimicrobial resistanceBacteriophageGenomic characterisationPhage therapyStreptococcus suis

Identifiers

PMID40132484

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.