Bdellovibrio and like organisms: the much-anticipated “magic bullet”

With advances in next generation sequencing and microscopy, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge about the predatory properties of Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs). BALOs are Gram negative microorganisms which are natural predators of other Gram-negative microorganisms, especially those associated with diseases in humans and animals. One of the limitations of BALOs is their inability to prey upon Gram-positive organisms that cause the bulk of human diseases. The global spread of antibiotics resistance to almost every group of antibiotics, and the paucity of newer antibiotics since 1970s is very worrisome. The ability of BALOs to decimate pathogen populations principally those carrying multidrug résistance genes coupled with the increasing rate of antibiotics resistance, has made them an attractive option as biocontrol agents. With the absence of resistance to BALOs, these much anticipated “magic bullets” will certainly find more and more applications in health, agriculture, medicine and environment in the nearest future.