The subject invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising: (i) at least one bacteriophage strain(s) capable of producing a lytic infection in an adherent-invasive Escherichia coli strain; and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

The subject invention further provides a method of treating inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering to a subject in need thereof at least one bacteriophage strain capable of producing a lytic infection in an adherent-invasive Escherichia coli strain thereby treating the subject.

The subject invention also provides new bacteriophage strains.

Phage 241 specific for Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated from an industrial cucumber fermentation where both acidity (pH3.7) and salinity (5% NaCI) were high. A method for preparing a food item at least substantially free of Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination contacted the food item with a bacteriophage 241 under conditions for the bacteriophage 241 to lyse all or substantially all the Escherichia coli O157:H7 present in the food item, while Escherichia coli strains other than O157:H7 were not affected. A method for detecting the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by contacting a bacteriophage 241 with a food item is also disclosed.

A composition comprising at least two different strains of isolated bacteriophages, each capable of infecting a bacteria of the species Staphylococcus aureus, wherein at least one of said at least two different strains of isolated bacteriophages has a genomic nucleic acid sequence at least 90% identical to one of the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 1-7. Uses thereof are also disclosed.

The present invention is directed to the field of phage therapy for the treatment and control of bacterial infections. In particular, the present invention is directed to the novel bacteriophages F1245/05, F168/08, F170/08, F770/05, F197/08, F86/06, F87s/06 and F91a/06, isolated polypeptides thereof, compositions comprising one or more of the novel bacteriophages and/or isolated polypeptides and methods for the treatment and prevention of bacterial infection, either alone or in combination with other antibacterial therapies, e.g., antibiotics or other phage therapies.

To control plant diseases caused by Xanthomonas spp., a novel bacteriophage exhibiting bacteriolysis activity specifically on Xanthomonas spp. was isolated. Thus, developed and provided is a plant disease control composition containing the bacteriophage as an active ingredient. Provided are a bacteriolytic agent containing a bacteriophage that has a novel genomic DNA sequence and exhibits bacteriolysis activity specifically on Xanthomonas spp., and a plant disease control composition containing the same as an active ingredient.

To control plant diseases caused by Xanthomonas spp., a novel bacteriophage exhibiting bacteriolysis activity specifically on Xanthomonas spp. was isolated. Thus, developed and provided is a plant disease control composition containing the bacteriophage as an active ingredient. Provided are a bacteriolytic agent containing a bacteriophage that has a novel genomic DNA sequence and exhibits bacteriolysis activity specifically on Xanthomonas spp., and a plant disease control composition containing the same as an active ingredient.

To control plant diseases caused by Xanthomonas spp., a novel bacteriophage exhibiting bacteriolysis activity specifically on Xanthomonas spp. was isolated. Thus, developed and provided is a plant disease control composition containing the bacteriophage as an active ingredient. Provided are a bacteriolytic agent containing a bacteriophage that has a novel genomic DNA sequence and exhibits bacteriolysis activity specifically on Xanthomonas spp., and a plant disease control composition containing the same as an active ingredient.

The present invention relates to a method for in vitro amplification of a linear virus genome, in particular a bacteriophage, expression and self-assembling of the virus, in particular the bacteriophage, in a cell-free expression system as well as a virus 5 or bacteriophage provided by such methods. Further aspects of the invention relate to a synthetic bacteriophage and the use thereof.

Engineered bacteriophages comprising polynucleotides encoding heterologous proteins under the control of repressible promoters are provided. Also disclosed are processes for producing the engineered bacteriophages, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the engineered bacteriophages and therapeutic and preventive methods using the engineered bacteriophages.

The subject invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising: (i) at least one bacteriophage strain(s) capable of producing a lytic infection in an adherent-invasive Escherichia coli strain; and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The subject invention further provides a method of treating inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering to a subject in need thereof at least one bacteriophage strain capable of producing a lytic infection in an adherent-invasive Escherichia coli strain thereby treating the subject. The subject invention also provides new bacteriophage strains.