A Simple Solution for Non-Mechanical Preparation of Mycobacterial DNA from Infected Samples

Tim Bull of City St George's University of London in the United Kingdom will develop a system for the non-mechanical lysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patient samples to enhance TB diagnosis. The system is based on lytic peptides that are active against host cells and can release intracellular TB bacteria, plus a combination of agents that directly lyse the TB bacterium, with candidates including a mycobacteriophage, antimicrobial peptides, and the lytic enzyme from the phage. Experiments will be performed to determine the components and conditions that optimize the speed and efficiency of lysis. These conditions will be used to test lysis across different sample types, using mock samples spiked with defined bacterial loads and focusing on sputum and tongue swabs. The mycobacteriophage will also be explored for selective capture of the TB bacterium in samples prior to lysis to improve the sensitivity of detection.