Engineered endolysin-based "Artilysins" to combat multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens.

ABSTRACT: The global threat to public health posed by emerging multidrug-resistant bacteria in the past few years necessitates the development of novel approaches to combat bacterial infections. Endolysins encoded by bacterial viruses (or phages) represent one promising avenue of investigation. These enzyme-based antibacterials efficiently kill Gram-positive bacteria upon contact by specific cell wall hydrolysis. However, a major hurdle in their exploitation as antibacterials against Gram-negative pathogens is the impermeable lipopolysaccharide layer surrounding their cell wall. Therefore, we developed and optimized an approach to engineer these enzymes as outer membrane-penetrating endolysins (Artilysins), rendering them highly bactericidal against Gram-negative pathogens, including Pseudomonas aer

SUBMITTER: Briers Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4161244 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature