Fig. 7.

Schematic model of the mechanism of Pf4 phage-mediated antibiotic tolerance revealed in this study. Individual Pf4 phage filaments self-assemble into higher-order dynamic spindle-shaped liquid crystalline droplets termed tactoids in the presence of biopolymers. Pf4 liquid crystalline droplets encapsulate P. aeruginosa cells forming occlusive nanochambers that increase P. aeruginosa survival upon antibiotic treatment. This process is profoundly influenced by shape and size complementarity between the bacterial cells and liquid crystals as Pf4 liquid crystalline droplets can also encapsulate inanimate colloidal rods of comparable size and shape to P. aeruginosa bacteria.