Phage Endolysin Enables Targeted Manipulation of the Small Intestinal Microbiota and Uncovers Niche Overlap Between Oral and Butyrate-Producing Taxa

ABSTRACT Oral bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine has been associated with dysbiosis, impaired nutrient absorption, and stunted growth in undernourished children, a condition referred to as small intestinal oral bacterial overgrowth (SIOBO). Here, we explore the use of a phage-derived lysin as a precision antimicrobial to selectively target Streptococcus salivarius within complex microbial communities. Through a newly developed, medium-throughput bioinformatic and wet-lab pipeline we identified, cloned and produced a prophage-encoded lysin from S. salivarius and demonstrated its potent and specific lytic activity against a panel of 49 clinical S. salivarius strains from stunted children, while sparing related species such as S. mitis , S. parasanguinis and S. thermophilus . Application of the lysin to human stool-derived in vitro communities and to mice colonized with S. salivarius led to an approximate 2-3 log reduction in S. salivarius abundance while preserving overall bacterial community composition. However, we observed a negative correlation between S. salivarius and Coprococcus comes in vitro , and Eubacterium xylanophilum, Akkermansia, Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus in vivo . Spent medium assays confirmed niche overlap between 10 clinical strains of S. salivarius and 28 different taxa involved in butyrate production. Together, these results suggest that phage-derived lysins can offer multiple benefits by selectively removing ectopically colonized oral taxa and indirectly promoting beneficial anaerobes.