Bacteriophage-encoded virion-associated enzymes to overcome the carbohydrate barriers during the infection process.
Bacteriophages are bacterial viruses that infect the host after successful receptor recognition and adsorption to the cell surface. The irreversible adherence followed by genome material ejection into host cell cytoplasm must be preceded by the passage of diverse carbohydrate barriers such as capsule polysaccharides (CPSs), O-polysaccharide chains of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules, extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) forming biofilm matrix, and peptidoglycan (PG) layers. For that purpose, bacteriophages are equipped with various virion-associated carbohydrate active enzymes, termed polysaccharide depolymerases and lysins, that recognize, bind, and degrade the polysaccharide compounds. We discuss the existing diversity in structural locations, variable architectures, enzymatic specificities, and evolutionary aspects of polysaccharide depolymerases and virion-associated lysins (VALs) and illustrate how these aspects can correlate with the host spectrum. In addition, we present methods that can be used for activity determination and the application potential of these enzymes as antibacterials, antivirulence agents, and diagnostic tools.
Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wroclaw, Poland.|Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Agnieszka
A
Latka
Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wroclaw, Poland.
Barbara
B
Maciejewska
Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wroclaw, Poland.
Grazyna
G
Majkowska-Skrobek
Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Applied Biosciences, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Yves
Y
Briers
Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wroclaw, Poland. zuzanna.drulis-kawa@uwr.edu.pl.
Zuzanna
Z
Drulis-Kawa
D001419:Bacteria / Q000821:virology*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000502:physiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D014771:Virion / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D002241:Carbohydrates; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D011134:Polysaccharides; D006867:Hydrolases
Bacteriophages; Polysaccharide depolymerases; Virion-associated lysins