Optimization of Phage Production using Plackett-Burman and Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

Striped catfish is one of the most important farmed fish species in Vietnam but often susceptible to hemorrhagic septicemia caused by Aeromonas hydrophila. Phage therapy is a promising solution alternative to antibiotic usage due to the bacterial antibiotic resistance. In this study, five individual factors including molasses concentration, KH2PO4 concentration, yeast extract concentration, bacterial culture time and phage collection time were investigated for their effects on the producion of phage TG25P. Plackett-Burman design revealed that the bacterial culture time, phage collection time and molasses concentration were the most significant factors affecting the phage production. Application of response surface methodology for optimization of phage production showed that optimal values for these variables were 1.76 h, 2.22 h and 2.03 g/L, respectively. In the optimized medium, the phage production of (1.44 ( 0.2) ( 109 PFU/mL was obtained, which agreed well with the predicted value of 1.37 ( 109 PFU/mL. The findings really help us produce phage TG25P under the optimal condition at a low cost.