2013•Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)Open access
Molecular and functional aspects of bacteriophage endolysins
Hugo Oliveira, Luís D. R. Melo, Sílvio Roberto Branco Santos, Franklin L. Nóbrega, Eugénio C. Ferreira, Nuno Cerca, Joana Azeredo, Leon Kluskens
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Abstract
Following infection and replication, phages depend on host lysis to release their progeny in the environment. This is accomplished by the regulated expression of lysis proteins at the end of the lytic cycle. One of these proteins is the endolysin, an enzyme that specifically degrades the bacterial peptidoglycan layer, consisting of alternating residues of -(1,4) linked N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid, linked by a peptide chain of three to five amino acids.