Allspice extract enhances the yield of T2 bacteriophage in E. coli

Abstract

Allspice extract has been shown to have antibacterial activity at concentrations of 0.5% but at a concentration of allspice extract of 0.004% present in LB broth, allspice extract exhibited no inhibition of E. coli replication. The addition of allspice extract at a final concentration of 0.004% to a growing culture of E. coli in LB broth increased the replication of T2 bacteriophage to 196.5% of the control. Varying the length of time the allspice extract was in contact with the growing bacteria before infection with T2 bacteriophage demonstrates that the longer the extract was in contact with the bacterial cells, the greater was the stimulation of the T2 bacteriophage yield. Increasing concentrations of glucose added to E. coli cultures which were then infected with T2 bacteriophage increased the yield of T2 bacteriophage. Increasing concentrations of glucose added to E. coli cultures treated with allspice extract which were then infected with T2 bacteriophage caused a decrease in the yield of the bacteriophage. Exposure of E. coli cultures that have a mutation for the catabolite repressor protein to allspice extract did not result in an increase in the T2 bacteriophage yield. These results suggest that the stimulation of T2 bacteriophage yield caused by exposure to allspice extract is due to the stimulation of adenylate cyclase enzyme activity and the production of cAMP within the E. coli cells.

Keywords: allspice extract; bacteriophage; E. coli; adenylate cyclase

Cite this Article
G. Goldstein. Allspice Extract Enhances the yield of T2 Bacteriophage in E. coli by Stimulating the Adenylate Cyclase Enzyme. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Biotechnology. 2019; 9(2): 20–25p.