Bacteriophage lysins:antibacterial effects and medical application

In recent decades,drug-resistance of pathogenic bacteria resulting from antibiotics abuse has greatly threatened human health. Bacteriophage lysins as new therapeutics have begun to attract people's attention. Bacteriophage lysins are cell wall hydrolysing enzymes synthesized during late gene expression in the lytic cycle of phages multiplication; thereby they hydrolyze the peptidoglycan and enable the release of progeny phages. Studies have indicated that lysins can kill bacteria efficiently and specifically in vivo. In this article,new progress in the research of mechanism,structural characteristics,antibacterial activity of bacteriophage lysins,as well as recombinant lysins preparation by genetic engineering,were reviewed in combination with author's research work. As a new type of antimicrobial medicine,the research focus and application prospects of lysins in the future were discussed as well.