Advances of Antimicrobial in Bioengineering

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2022) | Viewed by 22020

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Interests: textile materials; biotechnology; biomaterials; antimicrobials; bioreactor optimization; nanotechnology; environmental biotechnology; industrial biotechnology
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Guest Editor
Centre for Textile Science and Technology, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Interests: antimicrobial agents; regenerative cues; drug delivery; biomaterials; wound healing; medical textiles; polymer processing; nano- and microfiber scaffolding systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Interests: bioengineering; nanotechnology; biomaterials; polymer processing; controlled drug delivery; targeted delivery; tissue regeneration; antimicrobial strategies; bioactive molecules
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Presently, humankind is faced with an urgent need to develop novel and highly effective antimicrobials to control multidrug-resistant microorganisms and infectious outbreaks. Bioengineering is at the forefront as a critical and strategic field of knowledge for the development of innovative antimicrobial compounds and materials with tailored activity, as well as comprising low-propensity to induce microbial resistance. Reports of new bioengineered compounds or materials and the description of their mode of action are essential for the development of novel applications and strategies. Including bioprocess optimization, encompassing improved production methodologies, and advances in the development of applications and antagonistic approaches. Finally, although this Special Issue is not focused on the compounds or materials cytotoxicity assessment, the inclusion of this description is most welcome.

This special issue will gather original research and review articles focusing on bioengineered compounds and/or materials depicting the following:

  • Superior antimicrobial efficiency;
  • Comprehensive characterization of their antimicrobial action;
  • Directed or selective action;
  • Novel application strategies;
  • Bioengineering optimization of the production process.
Dr. Jorge Padrão
Dr. Andrea Zille
Dr. Helena P. Felgueiras
Dr. Joana C. Antunes
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • bioengineering
  • pathogen control
  • antimicrobial biopolymers
  • antimicrobial compounds
  • wide and short spectrum biocides
  • biotechnology

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1719 KiB  
Article
A Food-Grade Resin with LDH–Salicylate to Extend Mozzarella Cheese Shelf Life
by Laura Quintieri, Valeria Bugatti, Leonardo Caputo, Luigi Vertuccio and Giuliana Gorrasi
Processes 2021, 9(5), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9050884 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3089
Abstract
Mozzarella cheese can be considered by far the world’s most popular Italian dairy product. Extending the shelf life of mozzarella cheese is an important issue in the dairy industry due to the high risk of contamination by several bacteria species, including spoilage pseudomonads. [...] Read more.
Mozzarella cheese can be considered by far the world’s most popular Italian dairy product. Extending the shelf life of mozzarella cheese is an important issue in the dairy industry due to the high risk of contamination by several bacteria species, including spoilage pseudomonads. In this work, active packaging was prepared by coating traditional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers of “ovoline” mozzarella cheese with a food-grade resin mixed with a layered double hydroxide (LDH) in which salicylate anion was intercalatedby ionic exchange.. This antimicrobial molecule is listed in EC-Directive 10/2011/EC of 14 January 2011. Morphological arrangement of the molecule into the LDH layers was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and controlled release followed by UV spectroscopy. Then, active trays were used to pack the mozzarella cheeses stored for 20 days at 4 °C and under thermal abuse (15 °C). Samples from both conditions showed coliform reduction (by ca. 2 log CFU/g) throughout the storage period. Depending on temperature, total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., yeasts, and mold loads were reduced in the first 3 days; at 4 °C. Slower acidification and lower proteolysis were also found in treated samples in comparison to control ones. The fitting of the Gompertz function to coliforms and spoilage pseudomonads highlighted an increase in the shelf life of mozzarella cheese of ca. 2 days at 4 °C. These results suggest that salicylate–LDH-coated PET may be applied to extend the shelf-life of mozzarella cheese and also counteract its spoilage if accidental interruptions to refrigeration occur. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Antimicrobial in Bioengineering)
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13 pages, 1675 KiB  
Article
Design, Overproduction and Purification of the Chimeric Phage Lysin MLTphg Fighting against Staphylococcus aureus
by Feng Wang, Xiaohang Liu, Zhengyu Deng, Yao Zhang, Xinyu Ji, Yan Xiong and Lianbing Lin
Processes 2020, 8(12), 1587; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8121587 - 1 Dec 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2557
Abstract
With the increasing spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, it is of great importance to develop alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Here, we report the generation of a chimeric phage lysin, MLTphg, which was assembled by joining the lysins derived from Meiothermus bacteriophage MMP7 and [...] Read more.
With the increasing spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, it is of great importance to develop alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Here, we report the generation of a chimeric phage lysin, MLTphg, which was assembled by joining the lysins derived from Meiothermus bacteriophage MMP7 and Thermus bacteriophage TSP4 with a flexible linker via chimeolysin engineering. As a potential antimicrobial agent, MLTphg can be obtained by overproduction in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells and the following Ni-affinity chromatography. Finally, we recovered about 40 ± 1.9 mg of MLTphg from 1 L of the host E. coli BL21(DE3) culture. The purified MLTphg showed peak activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 between 35 and 40 °C, and maintained approximately 44.5 ± 2.1% activity at room temperature (25 °C). Moreover, as a produced chimera, it exhibited considerably improved bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus (2.9 ± 0.1 log10 reduction was observed upon 40 nM MLTphg treatment at 37 °C for 30 min) and also a group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria compared to its parental lysins, TSPphg and MMPphg. In the current age of growing antibiotic resistance, our results provide an engineering basis for developing phage lysins as novel antimicrobial agents and shed light on bacteriophage-based strategies to tackle bacterial infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Antimicrobial in Bioengineering)
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Review

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32 pages, 5062 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Effect of Phytochemicals from Edible Plants
by Efrat Hochma, Ludmila Yarmolinsky, Boris Khalfin, Marina Nisnevitch, Shimon Ben-Shabat and Faina Nakonechny
Processes 2021, 9(11), 2089; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9112089 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 9373
Abstract
Current strategies of combating bacterial infections are limited and involve the use of antibiotics and preservatives. Each of these agents has generally inadequate efficacy and a number of serious adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial drugs and food [...] Read more.
Current strategies of combating bacterial infections are limited and involve the use of antibiotics and preservatives. Each of these agents has generally inadequate efficacy and a number of serious adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial drugs and food preservatives with higher efficacy and lower toxicity. Edible plants have been used in medicine since ancient times and are well known for their successful antimicrobial activity. Often photosensitizers are present in many edible plants; they could be a promising source for a new generation of drugs and food preservatives. The use of photodynamic therapy allows enhancement of antimicrobial properties in plant photosensitizers. The purpose of this review is to present the verified data on the antimicrobial activities of photodynamic phytochemicals in edible species of the world’s flora, including the various mechanisms of their actions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Antimicrobial in Bioengineering)
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11 pages, 710 KiB  
Review
Membrane Disruption Properties of Essential Oils—A Double-Edged Sword?
by Polly Soo Xi Yap, Khatijah Yusoff, Swee-Hua Erin Lim, Chou-Min Chong and Kok-Song Lai
Processes 2021, 9(4), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9040595 - 29 Mar 2021
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 5662
Abstract
The emerging literature has suggested essential oils (EOs) as new possible weapons to fight antimicrobial resistance due to their inherent antimicrobial properties. However, the potential pharmaceutical use of EOs is confronted by several limitations, including being non-specific in terms of drug targeting, possessing [...] Read more.
The emerging literature has suggested essential oils (EOs) as new possible weapons to fight antimicrobial resistance due to their inherent antimicrobial properties. However, the potential pharmaceutical use of EOs is confronted by several limitations, including being non-specific in terms of drug targeting, possessing a high cytotoxicity as well as posing a high risk for causing skin irritation. Furthermore, some EOs have been demonstrated to adversely affect the cellular lipid profiles and permeability of the cell membrane, which may result in undesirable outcomes for the cells. Nevertheless, owing to their naturally complex compositions, EOs still hold undiscovered potential to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, as an alternative to existing antibiotics. To address the issue of overuse in antibiotics for crops which have led to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance globally, EOs have also been proposed as potential biopesticides. Since the perceived advantages of antimicrobial attributes in EOs remain largely unexplored, this review aims to provide a discourse into its current practical usefulness in the agricultural setting. Finally, updated bioengineering techniques with emphasis of the biopesticide potential of EOs as a means to alleviate antimicrobial resistance will be included. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Antimicrobial in Bioengineering)
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