Part:BBa_K1659200

Dispersin B, an antibiofilm enzyme that specifically hydrolyses PGA polymers

This part contains the sequence for the biofilm-degrading enzyme, Dispersin B.

Biology

Dispersin B is an enzyme produced by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a species of bacteria found in the human oral cavity that grows almost exclusively in the form of biofilms. A. actinomycetemcomitans uses Dispersin B as a means of spreading its colonies by degrading a portion of its mature biofilm and releasing cells that were previously adherent, allowing them to propagate through liquid medium a form new biofilms on other surfaces. Kaplan et al identified the gene that coded for Dispersin B and characterized the protein using E. coli as the expression host [1].

Structural analysis of Dispersin B showed that the enzyme only works specifically against the β-1,6-glycosidic linkages found in poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PGA), which is a polysaccharide structural element found in the biofilms of E. coli, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis, but not in P. aeruginosa [2][3][4].

Dispersin B is currently patented and licensed to Kane Biotech which is developing a wound care spray based on it [5][6]. When used in conjunction with triclosan as a surface prophylactic agent, Dispersin B effectively inhibited the formation of biofilms on both the internal and external surfaces of urinary catheters [7].

References

[1] Kaplan, J.B. et al., 2003. Detachment of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Biofilm Cells by an Endogenous beta-Hexosaminidase Activity. Journal of Bacteriology, 185(16), pp.4693–4698.

[2] Ramasubbu, N. et al., 2005. Structural analysis of dispersin B, a biofilm-releasing glycoside hydrolase from the periodontopathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Journal of Molecular Biology, 349, pp.475–486.

[3] Manuel, S.G. a et al., 2007. Role of active-site residues of dispersin B, a biofilm-releasing beta-hexosaminidase from a periodontal pathogen, in substrate hydrolysis. FEBS Journal, 274(22), pp.5987–5999.

[4] Wang, X., Iii, J.F.P. & Romeo, T., 2004. The pgaABCD Locus of Escherichia coli Promotes the Synthesis of a Polysaccharide Adhesin Required for Biofilm Formation. Journal of Bacteriology, 186(9), pp.2724–2734.

[5] University Of Medicine And Dentistry Of New Jersey, (2011). Dispersin B polynucleotides and methods of producing recombinant DspB polypeptides. US7989604 B2.

[6] Kane Biotech, 2011. Access online at: http://www.kanebiotech.com/dispersinb.html

[7] Darouiche, R.O. et al., 2009. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy of triclosan and DispersinB combination. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 64(May), pp.88–93.