Degradation of extracellular matrix of biofilms from pathogenic microorganisms

• Grant number: 23/18441-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: February 29, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Enzymology
• Principal Investigator: Igor Polikarpov
• Grantee: Milena Moreira Vacilotto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/08780-1 - Enzymatic degradation of microbial biofilm exopolisacharides: structural biophysics, molecular biotechnology and synthetic biochemistry of CAZymes in search for new enzymatic tools for antimicrobial treatments, AP.TEM

Abstract

Biofilms are one of the most successful forms of life among microorganisms, since these microbial communities rely on the protection of the complex extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) produced by themselves. In the context of pathogenic bacteria, EPS represents a risk factor in hospital infections, as it presents intrinsic tolerance to antibiotics and evasion of the host's immune system. Furthermore, these infections are persistent, which results in aggressive treatments with high doses of antimicrobials and in the development of antibiotic-resistant strains, a problem that has become increasingly alarming. Therefore, understanding the composition and structure of biofilms is of fundamental importance for the development of new techniques used in parallel with existing ones. The extracellular matrix of biofilms is composed of nucleic acids, proteins and polysaccharides, and the latter has been extensively studied in the context of degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. One of the exopolysaccharides present in some EPS is cellulose, which creates an interesting basis for applying consolidated knowledge from the bioenergy area to disaggregate and disperse biofilms. The present project aims to use molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics and microbiology techniques to evaluate the degradation of polysaccharides from E. coli and Mycobacterium sp using carbohydrate-active enzymes in conjunction with commercial antibiotics, seeking to maximize antimicrobial activity through the use of intelligent enzymatic circuits.