Table 1.

Applications of mycobacteriophages in TB.

Applications	Notes
Typing of clinical Mycobacterium isolates	• Use of pre-defined host-specific mycobacteriophage sets to identify new M. tuberculosis isolates.
TB diagnostics	• Use of reporter phages (e.g., LRP, Φ2DRMs, etc) to determine the presence of viable bacilli (active disease), M. tuberculosis drug susceptibility, and TB treatment efficacy (e.g., identifying presence of persister bacilli).
Mycobacterial genomic tools	Use for mycobacterial genetic manipulation including: gene exchange, allelic exchange, recombination and transduction of chromosomal markers, point mutations, transposons and insertions to generate M. tuberculosis mutants. Use to introduce immunity-based selection markers in mycobacterial hosts (immunity to superinfection).
Prophylaxis and therapeutics	Use of whole phages or mycobacteriophage-derived lytic enzymes to efficiently lyse and eliminate mycobacterial hosts. Use as combined synergistic therapy: mycobacteriophages/endolysins + anti-TB drugs.