Bacteriophages in plant protection

Abstract

Bacteriophages represent separate group of viruses able to infect bacteria. Being able to attack and destroy bacterial cells and control their population in the environment, bacteriophages drew attention soon after their discovery in the beginning of 20th century. However, lack of knowledge about their biology and ecology resulted in limited success of early trials in phage therapy of bacterial diseases. In 40s of the last century, after discovery of antibiotics, phage based therapy was entirely abandoned. During the following several decades antibiotics were used as a powerful antibacterial tool. However, uncontrolled and excessive application of antibiotics led to occurrence of resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria. Such situation contributed to renewed interest of researchers in application of phages not only for medical and veterinary purposes but in plant protection too.

Bakteriofagi predstavljaju posebnu grupu virusa, čiji su domaćini bakterije. Odmah nakon otkrića, s početka prošlog veka, privukli su pažnju svojom sposobnošću da parazitiraju ćelije bakterija i tako utiču na njihovu populaciju u životnoj sredini. Nedovoljno poznavanje biologije i ekologije bakteriofaga imalo je za posledicu ograničen uspeh početnih istraživanja terapije bolesti, prouzrokovanih patogenim bakterijama. Posle otkrića antibiotika, s početka četrdesetih godina prošlog veka, primena bakteriofaga u terapijske svrhe biva potisnuta u potpunosti. Tokom narednih nekoliko decenija antibiotici su bili korišćeni kao veoma efikasno antibakterijsko sredstvo. Međutim, prevelika i nekontrolisana primena dovela je do pojave rezistentnosti bakterija prema pojedinim ili više srodnih antibiotika. To je ponovo usmerilo pažnju istraživača na potencijalnu primenu bakteriofaga, ne samo u humanoj medicini i veterini, već i zaštiti bilja.