Polydopamine-mediated immobilization of alginate lyase to prevent P. aeruginosa adhesion

Abstract

Given alginate’s contribution to Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence, it has long been considered a promising target for interventional therapies, which have been performed by using the enzyme alginate lyase. In this work, instead of treating pre-established mucoid biofi lms, alginate lyase is immobilized onto a surface as a preventive measure against P. aeruginosa adhesion. A polydopamine dip-coating strategy is employed for functionalization of polycarbonate surfaces. Enzyme immobilization is confi rmed by surface characterization. Surfaces functionalized with alginate lyase exhibit anti-adhesive properties, inhibiting the attachment of the mucoid strain. Moreover, surfaces modifi ed with this enzyme also inhibit the adhesion of the tested non-mucoid strain. Unexpectedly, treatment with heat-inactivated enzyme also inhibits the attachment of mucoid and non-mucoid P. aeruginosa strains. These fi ndings suggest that the antibacterial performance of alginate lyase functional coatings is catalysis-independent, highlighting the importance of further studies to better understand its mechanism of action against P. aeruginosa strains.