Synthetic Biology applied on bacteriocins

Bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides secreted by bacteria, are fascinating biological weapons that form part of the bacterial gene pool. In their natural environments, bacteria deploy this arsenal to counter competing microbes within their ecological niche. These compounds, discovered almost a century ago at the same time as antibiotics and bacteriophages , quickly attracted interest for their considerable applicative potential, notably as novel antimicrobial agents that would enable targeted control of infectious agents affecting humans. However, despite their potential, the industrial exploitation of bacteriocins has been hampered by challenges inherent in their complex genetic nature and structural diversity. This has long been a major obstacle to their development and large-scale application.

In the current context, marked by an alarming increase in antibiotic resistance, the search for new solutions to combat bacterial infections that have become resistant to antibiotics is becoming an absolute public health priority. Bacteriocins, with their specific, targeted mechanism of action, offer a promising way of overcoming some of the challenges posed by the rise in antibiotic resistance. Moreover, bacteriocins have evolved to selectively target certain bacteria. This property could be used to kill pathogens without disturbing the beneficial commensal bacterial flora, opening up prospects for applications in human, animal and environmental health.

The advent of genomics and, more recently, synthetic biology has revolutionized our approach to the functional analysis of bacteriocins. Genomic DNA sequencing has made it possible to precisely map the genomes of many bacterial species, facilitating the identification and characterization of genes encoding new bacteriocins. At the same time, synthetic biology has provided innovative tools for the design, modification and production of bacteriocins, overcoming the limitations associated with their production from their natural host. These technological advances have led to the development of PARAGEN, the largest standardized collection of synthetic bacteriocin genes to date. This collection developed by Syngulon is constantly expanding and now serves as a starting point for the selection of relevant bacteriocins for different applications. This marks a turning point in the exploration of the applicative potential of bacteriocins in the era of synthetic biology.

This article explores the world of bacteriocins in their ecosystems, highlighting the crucial...