Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 22: For more than a century, scientists and doctors have explored the use of bacteriophages — viruses that infect and kill bacteria — to treat infections. With a growing number of bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, such alternative approaches are once again gaining urgency.
In a major breakthrough, scientists have now developed the first fully synthetic method to build and reprogramme bacteriophages, enabling faster, safer and more precise virus-based treatments. The innovation is being seen as a potential game-changer in the global fight against drug-resistant infections, offering hope against diseases that no longer respond to conventional antibiotics.
Researchers from New England BioLabs (NEB) and Yale University have successfully created bacteriophages entirely from digital DNA information, targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa — a pathogen known for its high resistance to antibiotics.
Unlike traditional approaches that depend on isolating naturally occurring viruses, the new method allows scientists to design phages on a computer using digital DNA sequences and then assemble them in the laboratory. Using NEB’s High-Complexity Golden Gate Assembly (HC-GGA) platform, researchers were able to construct a complete bacteriophage genome from short synthetic DNA fragments, entirely outside a living cell.
The team assembled a functional phage using 28 synthetic DNA fragments and successfully programmed new behaviours by introducing precise genetic changes, including small insertions, deletions and mutations.
“This synthetic method offers technological leaps in simplicity, safety and speed, paving the way for biological discoveries and therapeutic development,” said Andy Sikkema, co-first author of the study and research scientist at NEB.
The breakthrough comes at a time when concerns over antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising worldwide. In his recent Mann Ki Baat address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned against the misuse of antibiotics, stressing that taking them without medical advice or failing to complete prescribed courses can accelerate resistance.
The Prime Minister cited findings of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which indicate that antibiotics are becoming increasingly ineffective against common infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections (UTIs) in India.
“Antibiotic misuse today means untreatable infections tomorrow, placing our country at a critical crossroads,” said Dr Neeraj Nischal, Additional Professor, Department of Medicine, AIIMS Delhi.
Experts believe that advances such as synthetic bacteriophages could play a crucial role in addressing the looming AMR crisis by providing targeted, next-generation therapies when antibiotics fail.