Anti-virulent properties of a phage-encoded depolymerase against A. baumannii K2 capsular type

Viruses of Microbes 2018 (EMBO Workshop) - Abstract Book[Excerpt] Capsular structures are seen as a universal virulence trait among gram-negative bacilli but sill poorly studied in Acinetobacter baumannii. Recent reports suggest that capsule structures are involved in evading or overwhelming microbial defenses and macromolecular antibiotics. The fact that at least 106 capsular types exist in A. baumannii may reflect the sophisticated and diverse protective mechanisms developed by this pathogen. In this study, we isolated a 93,641-bp phage infecting A. baumannii K2 capsular type and cloned its tail-associated depolymerase (B3gp42). The enzyme showed to digest extracted exopolysaccharides in a wide range of pH values (5 to 9), ionic strengths (0 to 500 mM) and temperatures (20 to 70°C). [...]