Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm activity of Enzybiotic against Staphylococcus aureus

Background: Biofilms are communities of microorganisms embedded in a self produced polymeric matrix composed of polysaccharide, protein and DNA, adhered to inert or living surfaces. Researchers have focused on understanding the complex nature of biofilm and their reduced susceptibility to antibiotics. The use of biomaterials and indwelling medical devices like catheters increase probability of biofilm formation and hamper complete eradication of infection. Current treatment modalities of antimicrobial agents often fail to eradicate biofilm which can result in chronic infections. In recent years, high prevalence of antibiotic resistance has drastically narrowed the spectrum of available therapeutic options thereby increasing the demand of improving existing treatments and development of new therapeutic targeted drug delivery systems. Treatment with antibiotics has given apparent success in eliminating bacteria but unable to prevent the remission of the infection, likely due to remnant of persister cells in biofilm structure resulting in reseeding of the infection. One of the characteristic properties of biofilm is its tolerance to very high concentrations of antibiotics. The apparent antibiotic resistance of biofilm associated cells is not due to mutations, since sensitivity reappears when the biofilms are disrupted and the cells return to the planktonic state. Recent studies have indicated that the disruption of biofilm structure could be achieved via enzymes leading to resurgence of interest in enzymatic therapy. A treatment would be of great benefit to mankind if it could rapidly eliminate free-living as well as the ones present in the biofilms. Enzymes possess antibiofilm property by degrading the individual components of the biofilm. Thus enzymes complemented with antibiotics can significantly enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics against bacteria. We have termed this combination system of enzyme and antibiotic as “enzybiotic” wherein enzyme acts as a nano-driller to disrupt the biofilm and paving the way for the antibiotic to elicit its action. We will also discuss our recent work on improved biofilm activity of antibiotic in presence of proteolytic enzymes.