Author interview: Reshma Ramakrishnan has completed her B.S-M.S (Chemistry Hons.) from IISER Bhopal, India. Currently, she is a PMRF research scholar at Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, India working with Dr. Debasis Das.
We present the remarkable ability of a bovine microbial enzyme to prevent biofilm formation and degrade preformed biofilms of a broad range of K. pneumoniae clinical isolates.
Our enzyme rapidly potentiated a broad-spectrum antibiotic and immune systems against biofilm-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae that are otherwise not affected by antibiotics and immune systems. Our finding would lead to the development of a novel enzyme-based therapy against biofilm-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae, which is a global crisis.
– Prof. Debasis Das
Bacteria are unicellular organisms that exhibit two modes of growth, in the free-living planktonic state or in the sessile mode in which cells are embedded in a complex polymeric matrix known as a biofilm. The biofilm acts as a protective barrier against antibacterial agents, environmental stresses, and the host immune system. Most of the disease-causing bacteria forms biofilm, resulting in difficult to treat persistent infections. To tackle this, we have employed a cow rumen microbiome-derived Glycoside Hydrolase enzyme to break down biofilms by targeting the matrix holding them together. The enzyme significantly improved the biofilm sensitivity of a poorly performing broad-spectrum antibiotic, and immune cells, resulting in facile biofilm clearance from the mouse wound infection. Of note, the greatest advantage of implementing enzyme therapy for biofilm eradication is very unlikely that the biofilm-forming pathogens to gain resistance towards these enzymes since they are targeting the components in the protective layer (biofilm matrix) unless direct targeting the organism.
Reference: Ramakrishnan, R., Nair, A.V., Parmar, K., D. Chakravortty* and D. Das*. Combating biofilm-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae infections using a bovine microbial enzyme. npj Biofilms Microbiomes 10, 119 (2024).
