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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #282939
Title: Bacteriophage virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases: potential new enzybiotics

Author
item RODRIGUEZ-RUBIO, LORENA - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item MARTINEZ, BEATRIZ - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item Donovan, David
item RODRIGUEZ, ANA - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item GARCIA, PILAS - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Microbiology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2012
Publication Date: 11/1/2013
Citation: Rodriguez-Rubio, L., Martinez, B., Donovan, D.M., Rodriguez, A., Garcia, P. 2013. Bacteriophage virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases: potential new enzybiotics. Critical Reviews in Microbiology. 39:427-434.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases (VAPGH) are phage-encoded lytic enzymes that locally degrade the peptidoglycan (PG) of the bacterial cell wall during infection. Their action usually generates a small hole through which the phage tail crosses the cell envelope to inject the phage genetic material. The antimicrobial activity of VAPGHs was first discovered through the observation of the phenomenon of the ‘lysis from without’. When a high number of phages are absorbed onto the host cell bacterial lysis can be induced prior to nascent phage production. Based on these properties, VAPGHs are good candidates as new antibacterial agents. This review provides an overview of the different VAPGHs discovered to date and their potential as antimicrobials.