Bacterial formation of biofilms becomes toxic to humans and wreaks havoc on machined systems. These destructive films require the use of antibiotics to prevent, or harsh chemicals to remove, once formed. The widespread use of antibiotics has precipitated the development of antibacterial resistant strains and the use of cleaning chemicals raise environmental concerns. By providing an alternative to traditional antibiotics and harsh chemicals the environmental and health impacts could be reduced.Interrupting the small molecule signaling pathways between bacteria, a method called �quorum quenching�, has been proven to reduce bacterial growth and biofilm formation. Our approach is to use nature's components and fabrication methods for �biofabricating� capsules and device systems that when deployed offer new opportunities for silencing quorum sensing communication. Naturally occurring autoinducer-2 kinase, LsrK, is used in an in vitro environment comprised of antimicrobial polysaccharide, chitosan, in self-assembled and enzymatically-assembled constructs to modulate the bacterial communication. By attaching LsrK to a chitosan-based capsule using molecular engineering approaches and enzymes, we have assembled a conjugated device using minimal reagents and physiological conditions that, in turn, can deliver a means of changing the molecular dynamics of the bacterial communication pathway. The delivery of this functionalized capsule reduces the inter-bacterial communication that instigates the formation of biofilms.

Modulating bacterial communication pathways with quorum quenching capsules

247th National Meeting (2014)

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