The phageome, composed of bacteriophages that infect bacteria, plays a crucial role in shaping bacterial communities in various environments, including human skin. Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin disease, is associated with dysbiosis in the skin microbiota, particularly the overgrowth of Staphylococcus aureus. While much is known about bacterial communities in skin, the understanding of other skin-inhabiting organisms like viruses, including bacteriophages, remains limited. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria, accounting for a significant portion of bacterial lysis. They are key players in genetic exchange between bacteria and are estimated to have a vast diversity, with potential therapeutic applications in various diseases.
A recent study aimed to investigate the phageome in normal and inflamed human skin, focusing on AD. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to characterize the viral metagenome-assembled genomes (vMAGs) in skin swabs from healthy individuals and AD patients. The study identified a diverse range of previously unknown vMAGs, some of which exhibited inflammation-dependent abundance. Notably, certain integrated S. aureus-specific vMAGs were found to be more abundant in their bacterial hosts in AD patients, suggesting a survival advantage for the infected bacteria. This study sheds light on the distinct phageome compositions in normal and inflamed skin, highlighting a potential causative relationship between phage and bacterial communities in skin pathology.
The analysis revealed that the phage α diversity in AD samples was not reduced compared to healthy controls, unlike the bacterial communities which show a shift from diverse bacterial populations in healthy skin to S. aureus-dominated communities in AD. The study identified marker phages associated with AD, including prophages that may enhance the fitness of pathogenic bacterial strains like S. aureus in AD. Additionally, dysregulated lytic phages that prey on dominant bacterial strains showed decreased abundance in AD microbiomes, suggesting their potential suitability for phage therapy to target pathogenic bacteria. The findings underscore the importance of phages in bacterial community dynamics and their therapeutic potential in combating skin diseases like AD.
Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) validation of selected vMAGs confirmed their presence in skin swabs and provided insights into the abundance patterns of these phages in relation to AD-induced inflammation. The study highlighted the challenges in accurately interpreting phage abundance data, emphasizing the need for careful validation and consideration of host bacteria in phage metagenomic analysis. The identified phages, such as vMAG14, a S. aureus prophage, and vMAG8, a yet undescribed phage, offer potential targets for future phage therapy in skin diseases. The study also addressed the limitations in phage gene annotations, emphasizing the genetic mosaicism and complexity of phage genomes that require further exploration and understanding.
In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the phageome dynamics in human skin, particularly in the context of AD. The findings highlight the intricate interplay between phages and bacterial communities in skin microbiota and suggest potential therapeutic avenues for targeting pathogenic bacteria using phage therapy. Further research combining observational studies with in vitro culturing experiments across different skin diseases is essential to advance our understanding of phage biology, genomics, and their role in skin health and disease.
Key Takeaways:
– Bacteriophages play a significant role in shaping bacterial communities in human skin, with implications for skin diseases like atopic dermatitis.
– The phageome in atopic dermatitis shows distinct compositions compared to healthy skin, with marker phages associated with disease pathology.
– Quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation of phages in skin swabs highlights the importance of accurate validation and consideration of host bacteria in phage abundance analysis.
– Identified phages, such as S. aureus prophages, offer potential targets for phage therapy in skin diseases, emphasizing the therapeutic potential of phages in combating pathogenic bacteria.
Tags: microbiome, quality control, fungi, chromatography
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