Bacteriophage endolysins: a novel anti-infective to control Gram-positive pathogens

Abstract

Endolysins (or lysins) are highly evolved enzymes produced by bacteriophage (phage for short) to digest the bacterial cell wall for phage progeny release. In Gram-positive bacteria, small quantities of purified recombinant lysin added externally results in immediate lysis causing log-fold death of the target bacterium. Lysins have been used successfully in a variety of animal models to control pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria found on mucosal surfaces and infected tissues. Their specificity for the pathogen without disturbing the normal flora, the low chance of bacterial resistance, and their ability to kill colonizing pathogens on mucosal surfaces, a capacity previously unavailable, make them ideal anti-infectives in an age of mounting resistance. Here we review the current literature showing the effectiveness of these enzymes in controlling a variety of infections.

Fig. 1

Survival of mice with pneumococcal pneumonia after treatment with Cpl-1 lysin or amoxicillin. Mice with induced pneumococcal pneumonia were treated IP at 24 h (when focal inflammation was seen) and 12 h thereafter with 1 mg of Cpl-1 lysin or 0.4 mg of amoxicillin. Control animals received buffer. Animals were followed for survival for 240 h (10 days).