AUTHOR=Gutiérrez Diana , Briers Yves , Rodríguez-Rubio Lorena , Martínez Beatriz , Rodríguez Ana , Lavigne Rob , García Pilar 

TITLE=Role of the Pre-neck Appendage Protein (Dpo7) from Phage vB_SepiS-phiIPLA7 as an Anti-biofilm Agent in Staphylococcal Species

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2015.01315

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2015.01315

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Staphylococcus epidermidis</italic> and <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> are important causative agents of hospital-acquired infections and bacteremia, likely due to their ability to form biofilms. The production of a dense exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix enclosing the cells slows the penetration of antibiotic down, resulting in therapy failure. The EPS depolymerase (Dpo7) derived from bacteriophage vB_SepiS-phiIPLA7, was overexpressed in <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> and characterized. A dose dependent but time independent response was observed after treatment of staphylococcal 24 h-biofilms with Dpo7. Maximum removal (&gt;90%) of biofilm-attached cells was obtained with 0.15 μM of Dpo7 in all polysaccharide producer strains but Dpo7 failed to eliminate polysaccharide-independent biofilm formed by <italic>S. aureus</italic> V329. Moreover, the pre-treatment of polystyrene surfaces with Dpo7 reduced the biofilm biomass by 53–85% in the 67% of the tested strains. This study supports the use of phage-encoded EPS depolymerases to prevent and disperse staphylococcal biofilms, thereby making bacteria more susceptible to the action of antimicrobials.</p>