Edinburgh Napier University

  Salmonella enterica is a leading cause of foodborne infection with a recent increase in the number of antibiotic resistant isolates. We propose a biotechnological approach to the development of novel antimicrobial prodrug therapy which exploits the Salmonella outer membrane protease PgtE. PgtE is similar to MMP-9 in humans, and can degrade tissues of the extracellular matrix including collagen and gelatin. We are investigating the ability of recombinant PgtE to cleave a novel antimicrobial prodrug which contains a MMP-9-like cleavage domain. Cleavage of the domain would release active drug antibiotic) in the vicinity of PgtE.