Endotoxin removal from bacteriophage preparations

The purification of bacteriophage particles is important for two reasons: either to investigate the phage particle on its own (i.e. phage biology studies) or for therapeutic applications of phages, which is currently undergoing a resurgence. When phages are propagated on Gram-negative bacterial hosts, endotoxins have to be removed from these preparations. Endotoxins (or lipopolysaccharides (LPS)) are part of the Gram-negative bacterial outer membranes and play an important role in the organization and stability of the bacterial cell. Bacterial endotoxins are well known for their immunological, pro-inflammatory and pyrogenic effects.