Team:SDU-Denmark/Perspectives

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:

Salve against MRSA
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