Perspectives

Early on the project we realized that there are many interesting applications for our chosen sub elements, and as we got to talk with different experts, we saw even more opportunities. On this page we have highlighted some of the most interesting ideas, to give you a broader perspective of the true potential of each sub element. We have also included some of the ideas the high school students gave us during our workshops. So take a look and be inspired to how Bacto-aid’s sub elements can be integrated in your future.

Bacteriocins

The promising MIC results of the bacteriocins gives us the opportunity to use them as a supplement to traditional antibiotics, thus facing the evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Here is some of the ideas for their future applications.

Combination of traditional antibiotics with bacteriocins

The bacteriocins could serve as a supplement to traditional antibiotics, since our purified bacteriocins were capable of inhibiting the growth of Methicillin Resistant S. aureus strains. It could also be hypothesized that a combination of traditional antibiotics with bacteriocins could elicit a synergistic effect towards resistant bacterial strains. This leaves us with the opportunity to shift the balance of resistance and prevent the evolution of antimicrobial resistance against traditional antibiotics Dan, Y., et al. (2012). "Bacteriocins Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria a Review Article." APCBEE Procedia 2: 50-56..

Combination with pulsed electric fields

A combination of bacteriocins and technologies, such as pulsed electric fields, ables us to disrupt the cellular membrane for penetration of the cell and have been suggested to be highly effective Dan, Y., et al. (2012). "Bacteriocins Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria a Review Article." APCBEE Procedia 2: 50-56.. This method could be a way for us to give the hybrid bacteriocin Laterosporulin-ThuricinS access to cross the cell membrane of P. aeruginosa. This technology can also be a way for us to optimize the effectiveness of the bacteriocins generally.

Bacteriocins as probiotics

Probiotics are living microorganisms that when consumed in modest amounts, confer to health benefits for the host. Studies have demonstrated the impact of bacteriocin-producing strains’ ability to compete within complex microbial communities and thereby influence the health of the host. Here it was seen that bacteriocins are able to directly inhibit the invasion of competing strains or pathogens, or modulate the composition of the microbiota and have an influence on the host immune system Dobson, A., et al. (2012). "Bacteriocins Bacteriocin production: a probiotic trait?" Appl Environ Microbiol, 78, 1-6.. However, when using bacteriocins as probiotics it is important to make a thorough evaluation of the ethical aspects of it, as well as a risk assessment.

It is suggested that probiotics producing bacteriocins could lead to positive probiotic functionality in a number of ways:

• Bacteriocins could function as colonizing peptides, facilitating the introduction and dominance of a producer into an already occupied niche, thereby facilitating the competition of probiotic bacteria with the unfavourable resident bacteria.
• Bacteriocins could act as antimicrobial peptides that directly inhibits competing strains or pathogens.
• Bacteriocins could function as signalling peptides that either signals other bacteria through quorum sensing and bacterial cross talk within microbial communities, or through signalling cells of the host’s immune system Dobson, A., et al. (2012). "Bacteriocins Bacteriocin production: a probiotic trait?" Appl Environ Microbiol, 78, 1-6..

Salve against MRSA

Purified or partially purified bacteriocins hold great promise in treating an unhealthy bacterial flora by targeting pathogenic bacteria and may be employed as pharmabiotics or novel alternatives to existing antibiotics. Promising results have been shown in fighting MRSA with purified bacteriocins Dobson, A., et al. (2012). "Bacteriocins Bacteriocin production: a probiotic trait?" Appl Environ Microbiol, 78, 1-6..Hans Jørn Kolmos suggested that we could use pure bacteriocins in a salve, which can be applied at the nostrils to avoid MRSA that typically niches here. Applying the bacteriocins at the nose, will make their effect most effective on carriers.

Bacteriocins for medical equipment

Spider Silk

Creation of skin cell culture

Antimicrobial gauze

Soft implants

Textiles made from silk

Implants and coating for guided bone regeneration

Coating of implants in combination with antimicrobial compounds

Intracellular drug delivery

Future market for PHB

Ideas from high school students