Biofilms are complex groups of bacteria that contain one or more species. They bind to extracellular polymers (EPS) and attach to surfaces such as living tissue, medical devices, food, industrial equipment or pipes. This extracellular matrix is the immediate bacterial environment within the biofilm and is primarily produced by the bacteria themselves. The formation of bacterial biofilms is generally considered to be a virulence factor. Antibiotics are not suitable for removing biofilms, and phage-derived enzymes may be an interesting alternative. Lysins are phage-derived enzymes that are bactericidal against sensitive bacteria. They break peptidoglycan bonds and degrade bacterial cell walls and biofilm structures. This makes lysins useful against Gram-positive bacteria. Lysins are not limited to being encoded by bacteriophages, as some bacteria produce lysins for competition with other bacteria. In phages, lysins can be soluble enzymes, such as proteins that act to lyse cells at the end of the phage cycle. In addition, they can exist in the phage tail as virion-associated lysins, acting upon receptor recognition to locally degrade the cell wall and allow injection of phage genomic material.
Fig 1. Main phage-based treatments for biofilm removal. (Ferriol-González C, et al. 2020)
Our team of experienced and dedicated scientists and business experts will work with you to provide a bespoke solution to your specific product requirements and guide you every step of the way. Creative Biolabs has a long history in enzyme supply. Our enzymes are trusted in applications such as nucleic acid amplification, cDNA synthesis, NGS, cloning, gene expression, PCR and real-time PCR.
Lysines are divided into different classes based on the peptidoglycan bonds they break. Glycosidase or glycoside hydrolase breaks glycosidic bonds in complex sugars, and N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase cleaves N-acetylmuramyl residues and L-amino acid residues in certain cell wall glycopeptides. While endopeptidases are proteolytic peptidases that can bind non-terminal amino acids.
Phage-derived lysine has the unique ability to kill dormant cells due to its ability to enzymatically cleave bacterial cell peptidoglycan. Several lysines showed potent anti-biofilm activity in vitro.
Creative Biolabs can meet the needs of customers by providing phage-derived lysins production services on time and on budget. We have in-depth knowledge and experience of the tools and processes involved in the phage projects. Our skilled and dedicated scientific researchers ensure that the most suitable methods and techniques are selected for your project. If necessary, please feel free to contact us.
Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).
Creative Biolabs is a globally recognized phage company. Creative Biolabs is committed to providing researchers with the most reliable service and the most competitive price.
