An encapsulated bacteriophage formulation and a method for encapsulating bacteriophages and bacteriophage-related products in polymeric microcapsules is provided. Some embodiments of the method of producing the encapsulated bacteriophages involves a water-in-oil-in-water double emulsion.

In alternative embodiments, provided are compositions, including products of manufacture and kits, and methods, for purifying bacteriophage. Provided herein is are practicable methods, or protocols, that are “Good Laboratory Manufacturing Practice” (GLMP), for phage isolation, selection, liter-scaled cultivation, and purification. In alternative embodiments, GLMP protocols as provided herein employ membrane filtration processes to yield at least about 300 treatment doses at about 10.sup.9 plaque-forming units with endotoxin levels within human therapeutic regulatory limits. In alternative embodiments, provided are formulations or pharmaceutical preparations of bacteriophage comprising 10.sup.9 PFU, 10.sup.10 PFU, 10.sup.11 PFU, or 10.sup.12 PFU or more per unit dose and endotoxin levels below about 5.5 EU.Math.mL.sup.−1, or below about 5.0 EU.Math.mL.sup.−1.

One aspect of the invention provides a method of generating bacteriophages adapted to infect a target bacterial strain. The method comprises: providing host bacteria that are susceptible to phage as input to a host chemostat containing phage; providing target bacteria that are related to the host bacteria, but not susceptible to phage as input to a target chemostat containing phage; filtering outflows from the host chemostat and the target chemostat to isolate phage from the populations of the host bacteria, the target bacteria, and macromolecules; combining the outflows; and introducing the combined outflow into each of the host chemostat and the target chemostat.

Disclosed herein are methods for the production of mutant bacteriophages with altered host range. Additionally, disclosed herein are methods and systems for rapid detection of microorganisms such as Listeria spp. in a sample. A genetically modified bacteriophage is also disclosed which comprises an indicator gene in the late gene region. The specificity of the bacteriophage, such as Listeria-specific bacteriophage, allows detection of a specific microorganism, such as Listeria spp. and an indicator signal may be amplified to optimize assay sensitivity.

A method for depletion or removal of endotoxins from a known or suspected endotoxin-containing source by virtue of a solid phase extraction material in an essentially aqueous system comprising the steps of—providing a known or suspected endotoxin-containing source, —contacting the known or suspected endotoxin-containing source with a positively charged solid phase material having a surface on which ferric iron is immobilised, wherein the solid phase extraction material has immobilised the ferric iron by (2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) ligand—incubating the known or suspected endotoxin-containing source for a period of time sufficient to bind endotoxin to the porous solid phase material, —separating the solid phase material from the essentially aqueous system, —optionally isolating the essentially aqueous system freed or depleted from endotoxin.

Described is an “artificial virus” (AV) programmed with biomolecules that can enter human cells and carry out precise human genome modification. The AVs comprise: at least one viral vector, such as bacteriophage T4; at least one therapeutic molecule, such as DNA, RNA, protein and their complex; and a lipid coating. Also described is a method of human genome modification, using such an AV, and a method of program such an AV.

A method of recovering viable phage from, for example, a crude phage preparation such as a lysate resulting from amplification of phage in bacterial cell culture is disclosed. The method may be “universal”; that is, applicable to the purification of a broad range of phage species and strains. The phage product resulting from the method may have an acceptably low endotoxin titer (e.g. less than 500 EU/ml) and sufficiently high phage titer (e.g. >1×10.sup.9 PFU/ml) for use in therapeutic applications.

The invention relates to the production of phage and non-replicative transduction particles using DNAs (eg, plasmids and helper phage, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) or plasmids with chromosomally integrated helper phage genes), as well as the phage, helper phage, kits, compositions and methods involving these. The non-replicative transduction particles can be used to deliver antibacterial agents comprising a guided nuclease system.

Provided are a bacteriophage KFS-ST3 having specific killing ability for Salmonella typhimurium and its derived biofilm, and a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating infectious diseases caused by Salmonella, including the bacteriophage. The bacteriophage KFS-ST3 of the present disclosure has specific killing ability for Salmonella, but does not kill beneficial bacteria and has excellent acid resistance and heat resistance, and thus may be not only used for the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases caused by Salmonella typhimurium and its derived biofilm, but also widely used in antibiotic compositions, feed additive compositions, disinfectants, or cleaning agents.

An encapsulated bacteriophage formulation and a method for encapsulating bacteriophages and bacteriophage-related products in polymeric microcapsules is provided. Some embodiments of the method of producing the encapsulated bacteriophages involves a water-in-oil-in-water double emulsion.