Biofilms on medical devices cause more than 65 % of the hospital-acquired infections. Moreover, in biofilm mode of growth, bacteria resist the conventional antimicrobial treatments. The ability of the pathogens to invade, overcome defense mechanisms, cause infection and biofilm formation is controlled by a regulatory mechanism known as quorum sensing (QS). Small hormone-like molecules called autoinducers (AIs) regulate the QS. Consequently, modulation of these QS signals has emerged as a potential strategy for prevention of biofilm formation and bacterial virulence. In this study, the degradation of QS signals and extracellular polymer substances (EPS) from the biofilms was evaluated. The degradation kinetics of model and biofilm-extracted AIs and EPS was determined in the presence of quorum-quenching and EPS-degrading enzymes (acylase, lactonase and oxidoreductas, a-amylase and proteases). These enzymes efficiently decreased the biofilm formation of several medically relevant bacterial species, such as P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, S. aureus and E. coli.

Enzymes to control bacterial biofilm formation

245th National Meeting (2013)

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