The Use of Commercially Available Alpha-Amylase Compounds to Inhibit and Remove Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus, a versatile human pathogen, is commonly associated with medical device infections. Its capacity to establish and maintain these infections is thought to be related to its ability to form adherent biofilms. In this study, commercially available α-amylase compounds from various biological sources were evaluated for their ability to reduce and prevent biofilm formation of several S. aureus isolates. Our data demonstrates that α-amylase compounds can rapidly detach biofilms of S. aureus, as well as inhibit biofilm formation. Our data also demonstrates that α-amylase compounds have an ability to reduce and disassociate S. aureus cell-aggregates grown in liquid suspension. These findings suggest that commercially available α-amylase compounds could be used in the future to control S. aureus biofilm-related infections.

Glycoside Hydrolases Degrade Polymicrobial Bacterial Biofilms in Wounds

“…In this way, clinicians would be able to administer the enzymes to any patient presenting with a biofilm infection, regardless of the causative microorganisms, and have a reasonable expectation that the therapy will be effective. ␣-Amylase and cellulase are two inexpensive, commercially available GHs that target common linkages found in the EPS made by many different species of bacteria, and multiple studies have shown that they can inhibit and disrupt the preformed in vitro biofilms of a variety of bacterial species (22)(23)(24)(25)(26).…”

“…It has been shown that cellulase inhibits biofilm growth by Burkholderia cepacia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on various abiotic surfaces commonly used in medical devices (22,23). Similarly, ␣-amylase, a GH that acts by cleaving the ␣-1,4 straight-chain linkage, has been previously shown to both inhibit biofilm formation and disrupt preformed biofilms of Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus aureus and P. aeruginosa in vitro (24)(25)(26). In this study, we aimed to hydrolyze the polysaccharides produced by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa in dual-species polymicrobial biofilms by targeting a pair of highly conserved glycosidic linkages.…”

Next Science Wound Gel Technology, a Novel Agent That Inhibits Biofilm Development by Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Wound Pathogens

“…Previous studies described several compounds that have the potential to destabilize the structures, damage the biofilm, or facilitate the penetration of antibiotics, including dispersin B, DNase I, and ␣-amylase (52)(53)(54). Dispersin B hydrolyzes the poly-N-acetylglucosamine surface polysaccharide within the biofilm matrix of many bacteria, including S. aureus (53), while DNase I degrades extracellular DNA, which serves as a matrix adhesion molecule in biofilms produced by most bacteria (54).…”

“…DNase I, on the other hand, detached preformed S. aureus biofilms but not S. epidermidis biofilms (53). Similarly, ␣-amylase, an enzyme found in human pancreatic juice and saliva, rapidly detached S. aureus biofilms and dissociated S. aureus aggregates in liquid culture but had no effect on S. epidermidis biofilms (52). Compared with the reported performance of these compounds, NxtSc-G5 appears to be efficacious in penetrating biofilms formed by S. aureus and P. aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo and eliminating the microorganisms within the biofilms.…”

Antibiofilm Treatment for Onychomycosis and Chronic Fungal Infections

“…Use of α-amylase was effective in detaching biofilms for some bacterial species ( Staphylococcus aureus ) but not others ( S. epidermidis ) [27]. Lyase in combination with gentamycin reduced viable counts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by 2-3 log 10 units [28], while lactonase increased penetration of ciprofloxacin and gentamycin [29].…”