Enzybiotics

Enzybiotics are an experimental antibiotic approach employing enzymes to combat pathogenic bacterial infections. The name is a portmanteau of the words 'enzyme' and 'antibiotics' first coined in March 2001 by Nelson et al. Many of the enzymes used as enzybiotics are lysins, enzymes derived from bacterial viruses (or bacteriophages) used to release progeny bacteriophage from infected bacteria, though other natural or synthetic enzymes may be used. Enzybiotics are an experimental antibiotic approach employing enzymes to combat pathogenic bacterial infections. The name is a portmanteau of the words 'enzyme' and 'antibiotics' first coined in March 2001 by Nelson et al. Many of the enzymes used as enzybiotics are lysins, enzymes derived from bacterial viruses (or bacteriophages) used to release progeny bacteriophage from infected bacteria, though other natural or synthetic enzymes may be used. Enzybiotic approaches have attempted to incorporate bacteriophage-derived lysins to kill bacterial cells. One particular lysin, isolated from phage P68 of Staphylococcus aureus, has shown antimicrobial activity against its host species when used along with the antibiotic gentamicin.