Optimizing the formulation of Erwinia bacteriophages for improved UV stability and adsorption on apple leaves
Su Jin Jo,
Sang Guen Kim,
Jungkum Park,
Young Min Lee,
Sib Sankar Giri,
Sung Bin Lee,
Won Joon Jung,
Mae Hyun Hwang,
Jae Hong Park,
Eunjung Roh,
Se Chang Park
Affiliations
Su Jin Jo
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Sang Guen Kim
Department of Biological Sciences, Kyonggi University, Suwon, 16227, Republic of Korea
Jungkum Park
Crop Protection Division, National Institute of Agriculture Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, 55365, Republic of Korea
Young Min Lee
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Sib Sankar Giri
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Sung Bin Lee
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Won Joon Jung
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Mae Hyun Hwang
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Jae Hong Park
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
Eunjung Roh
Crop Protection Division, National Institute of Agriculture Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju, 55365, Republic of Korea
Se Chang Park
Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.
Fire blight is a bacterial disease that affects plants of the Rosaceae family and causes significant economic losses worldwide. Although antibiotics have been used to control the disease, concerns about their environmental impact and the potential to promote antibiotic resistance have arisen. Bacteriophages are being investigated as an alternative to antibiotics; however, their efficacy can be affected by environmental stresses, such as UV radiation. In this study, we optimized the formulation of Erwinia phages to enhance their stability in the field, focusing on improving their UV stability and adsorption using adjuvants. Our results confirmed that 4.5 % polysorbate 80 and kaolin improve phage stability under UV stress, resulting in an 80 % increase in PFU value and improved UV protection efficacy. Adsorption assays also demonstrated that polysorbate 80 and kaolin improved the absorption efficiency, with phages detected in plant for up to two weeks. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the auxiliary formulation of Erwinia bacteriophages against environmental stress.
