There is disclosed a method of engineering bacteriophages comprising: identifying a bacteriophage with only one attachment gene; isolating said bacteriophage; removing said attachment gene from the genome of said bacteriophage; and inserting a non-natural attachment gene into the genome of said bacteriophage wherein said non-natural attachment gene is specific for attaching to a selected bacteria. There is also disclosed a mutant bacteriophage comprising a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a first specific attachment gene, the first specific attachment gene being different than an inactivated attachment gene and being specific for a selected bacteria. In another embodiment, there is disclosed a method of eliminating a microbial contaminant, the method comprising: obtaining one or more lytic enzymes produced by a mutant bacteriophage; applying the one or more lytic enzymes to a bacterial contaminant, without prior infection of the bacterial contaminant with a bacteriophage, to eliminate the bacterial contaminant.

Bivalent immunogenic compositions against anthrax and plague are disclosed herein. One bivalent immunogenic composition comprises a triple fusion protein containing three antigens, F1 and V from Yersinia pestis and PA antigen from Bacillus anthracis fused in-frame and retaining structural and functional integrity of all three antigens. Another bivalent immunogenic composition comprises bacteriophage nanoparticles arrayed with these three antigens on the capsid surface of the bacteriophage nanoparticles. These bivalent immunogenic compositions are able to elicit robust immune response in a subject administered said the bivalent immunogenic compositions and provide protection to the subject against sequential or simultaneous challenge with both anthrax and plague pathogens.

Bivalent immunogenic compositions against anthrax and plague are disclosed herein. One bivalent immunogenic composition comprises a triple fusion protein containing three antigens, F1 and V from Yersinia pestis and PA antigen from Bacillus anthracis fused in-frame and retaining structural and functional integrity of all three antigens. Another bivalent immunogenic composition comprises bacteriophage nanoparticles arrayed with these three antigens on the capsid surface of the bacteriophage nanoparticles. These bivalent immunogenic compositions are able to elicit robust immune response in a subject administered said the bivalent immunogenic compositions and provide protection to the subject against sequential or simultaneous challenge with both anthrax and plague pathogens.

Bivalent immunogenic compositions against anthrax and plague are disclosed herein. One bivalent immunogenic composition comprises a triple fusion protein containing three antigens, F1 and V from Yersinia pestis and PA antigen from Bacillus anthracia fused in-frame and retaining structural and functional integrity of all three antigens. Another bivalent immunogenic composition comprises bacteriophage nanoparticles arrayed with these three antigens on the capsid surface of the bacteriophage nanoparticles. These bivalent immunogenic compositions are able to elicit robust immune response in a subject administered said the bivalent immunogenic compositions and provide protection to the subject against sequential or simultaneous challenge with both anthrax and plague pathogens.