Bacteriophage-derived depolymerase: a review on prospective antibacterial agents to combat Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes mucosal surfaces and is a common cause of nosocomial infections. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance in K. pneumoniae, particularly carbapenem-resistant strains, poses a significant threat to human health, with high mortality rates and healthcare costs. Another major problem is that hypervirulent K. pneumoniae tends to form biofilms. Bacteriophage-derived depolymerases, a class of enzymes that degrade diverse bacterial surface carbohydrates, have been exploited as antibiofilm and antimicrobial adjuvants because of their high stability, specificity, strong antimicrobial activity, and low incidence of bacterial resistance. This review presents a summary of the structure and properties of depolymerase, as well as an overview of both in vitro and in vivo studies of depolymerase therapy for multidrug-resistant or biofilm-forming K. pneumoniae infections. These studies employed a range of approaches, including utilizing a single depolymerase or combinations of depolymerase and phages or antibiotics. Furthermore, this review outlines the current challenges facing depolymerase therapy and potential future approaches for treating K. pneumoniae infections.