Activity of the lyases LysSSE1 and HolSSE1 against common pathogenic bacteria and their antimicrobial efficacy in biofilms

Bacillary dysentery is a common foodborne disease with an exaggerated mortality rate because of Shigella infection. With the increasing severity of Shigella infection, lyase has been considered as the most promising alternative to antimicrobial agents, owing to the emergence of resistant bacteria and the difficulty in disrupting and eliminating bacterial biofilms. In this study, we cloned and characterised HolSSE1 and LysSSE1, holin, and lysozyme from the S. dysenteriae phage SSE1 with extended bacterial host range against common gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. In addition, the efficacy of HolSSE1 and LysSSE1 in removing bacterial biofilms was observed on polystyrene surfaces. Moreover, synergistic bacteriostasis was observed when they were used together. Alignment and structural model analysis showed that both HolSSE1 and LysSSE1 are T4 phage proteins that have not yet been identified. Therefore, HolSSE1 and LysSSE1 can be promising biocontrol agents for the prevention and treatment of various pathogenic infections.