RESUMO
AIMS: The study was to identify the genes involved in phage resistance and to develop an effective biocontrol method to improve the lytic activity of phages against foodborne pathogens. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 3,909 single gene-deletion mutants of Escherichia coli BW25113 from the Keio collection were individually screened for genes involved in phage resistance. Phage S127BCL3 isolated from chicken liver, infecting both E. coli BW25113 and O157: H7, was characterized and used for screening. The 10 gene-deletion mutants showed increased susceptibility to phage S127BCL3. Among them, priA gene-deletion mutant strain showed significant susceptibility to the phages S127BCL3 and T7. Furthermore, we investigated the substances that have been reported to inhibit the function of primosomal protein A (PriA) and were used to confirm increased phage susceptibility in E. coli BW25113 (Parent strain) and O157: H7. CONCLUSION: PriA inhibitors at a low concentration showed combined effects with phage against E. coli O157: H7 and delayed the regrowth rate of phage-resistant cells.