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Team:HIT-Harbin/project/application
From 2012.igem.org
The lysostaphin expressed by the engineered E.coli will effectively avoid …. Despite the use of antibiotics, the morbidity and mortality associated with staphylococcal infections remain high and have been complicated by the emergence of strains resistant to all antibiotics in clinical use.
Lysostaphin is a Zn2+ metalloproteinase initially isolated from S.simulan culture with favorable activity against staphylococci in vitro and in vivo. The enzyme is currently evaluated as a potential antibacterial therapeutic for the pathogen infections. The study progresses of lysostaphin in pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and clinical therapeutics attract more and more attention. The potential clinical indications are explored.
For example, S.aureus is the important pathogenic bacteria of human's vulnerable parts such as eyes, which can cause the corneal or intraocular aureus infection easily. Generally, timely we use ophthalmic with antibiotics is an effective way of controlling eye infections, but there is a problem that its resistance to antibiotics become more and more intense. Reasearchers find that lysostaphin is effective in treating methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis in the rabbit.
2.In detecting aspect. We can have a simple and fast detection of staphylococcus aureus in food or water to check whether it is polluted in our daily life. If we doubt that something has been polluted by S.aureus, we can make it into solution sample, then put our engineered E.coli into it. After a while, we can just observe the change of the color of that sample to judge the result.
For example, many villagers around your house reflect that they get diarrhea after drinking water from a well. Given that you are an agrotechnician, you can have a fast detection to identify whether it is S.aureus that causes the trouble.
3.For wastewater treatment aspect. The consortium biofilm system make these engineered E.coli embrace each other into a group, which enhance the adaptability and stability in water environment. In 2010, PKU iGEM team constructed a new engineered E.coli for detecting and absorbing heavy metal. If the sewage is polluted so badly，the engineered bacteria would be hard to survive long. If we use our biofilm formation device to reform the engineering bacteria, its adaptability in the heavy-metal polluted water will be great enhanced.
Fig 2. Structure of the Staphylococcus aureus AgrA bounding to DNA
