The reaction-diffusion basis of animated patterns in eukaryotic flagella.

The flagellar beat of bull spermatozoa and C. Reinhardtii are modelled by a minimal, geometrically exact, reaction-diffusion system. Spatio-temporal animated patterns describe flagellar waves, analogous to chemical-patterns from classical reaction-diffusion systems, with sliding-controlled molecular motor reaction-kinetics.

Targetable nano-delivery vehicles to deliver anti-bacterial small acid-soluble spore protein (SASP) genes.

Interest in phage-based therapeutics is increasing, at least in part due to the need for new treatment options for infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It is possible to use wild-type (WT) phages to treat bacterial infections, but it is also possible to modify WT phages to generate therapeutics with improved features. Here, we will discuss features of Phico Therapeutics' SASPject technology, which modifies phages for use as targetable nano-delivery vehicles (NDV), to introduce antibacterial Small Acid Soluble Spore Protein (SASP) genes into specific target bacteria.

Engineered Bacteriophage as a Delivery Vehicle for Antibacterial Protein, SASP.

The difficulties in developing novel classes of antibacterials is leading to a resurgence of interest in bacteriophages as therapeutic agents, and in particular engineered phages that can be optimally designed. Here, pre-clinical microbiology assessment is presented of a phage engineered to deliver a gene encoding an antibacterial small acid soluble spore protein (SASP) and further, rendered non-lytic to give product SASPject PT1.2.

Three novel bacteriophages isolated from the East African Rift Valley soda lakes.

Background: Soda lakes are unique environments in terms of their physical characteristics and the biology they harbour. Although well studied with respect to their microbial composition, their viral compositions have not, and consequently few bacteriophages that infect bacteria from haloalkaline environments have been described.

Methods: Bacteria were isolated from sediment samples of lakes Magadi and Shala.