Antibacterial activity of recombinant endolysin LysNOVA-I against growing/non-growing and planktonic/biofilm cultures of Staphylococcus aureus strains

RIVERO, CARLA; MARTÍNEZ, MELINA M.B.; PICININ, NICOLE G.; MARTINS, EDUARDO G.; PAOLAZZI, CLAUDIO; CAPOZZO, ALEJANDRA; OLIVEIRA, DENISE DA SILVA; BECERRA, JOHANA; DOS SANTOS, BENEDITO M.; DE FREITAS-JUNIOR, LUCIO H.G.; BALAN, ANDREA; LINCOPAN, NILTON; FERREIRA, RITA DE CASSIA CAFÉ; FERREIRA, LUIS CARLOS DE SOUZA; BENTANCOR, LETICIA VERÓNICA

Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance

ELSEVIER

Año: 2025

2213-7165

Objective: Bacteriophage-encoded endolysins have emerged as novel antibacterial strategies against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We identified a bacteriophage-derived conserved sequence encoding an endolysin specific against Staphylococcus aureus. Then a recombinant endolysin (LysNOVA-I) was produced, characterized and evaluated against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Methods: Endolysin gene from phage ФvB_SauS-phiIPLA88was cloned, expressed, and successfully purified by affinity chromatography. The activity of pure recombinant endolysin (rLysNOVA-I) was subsequently evaluated against growing and non-growing planktonic cells and biofilm cultures of international clones of MRSA. A computational analysis was conducted to elucidate the protein folding and obtain insight into the molecular mechanism.Results: rLysNOVA-I exhibited bactericidal activity against both exponential growth and stationary growth phaseS. aureuscells. rLysNOVA-I also prevents biofilm formation and degradation of established S. aureus biofilms. Noteworthy, the rLysNOVA-I was active against the MRSA clone ST398 of veterinary and clinical relevance.Conclusions: Our findings highlight the clinical potential of rLysNOVA-Ias a therapeutic or complementary alternative to the use of antibiotics to multidrug-resistant S. aureus infections in human and veterinary medicine.