Improving microbial diagnostics through systems biology

"Prompt and accurate identification of infectious organisms and their antibiotic resistance profiles is crucial for effective treatment of bacterial infections. Clent Life Sciences has developed a product line targeting the critical lysis step in this process. This project aims to enhance bacterial lysis technologies through systems biology and biochemical methodologies.
Existing techniques rely on enzymatic or buffering agents to disrupt the bacterial cell envelope for subsequent analysis. This project seeks to understand the mechanisms of known lysis reagents and develop novel enzymes. Screening comprehensive deletion libraries of bacteria using robotics platforms will reveal molecular vulnerabilities or resistance mechanisms. Hits will be investigated using molecular microbiology, biochemistry, and structural biology.
Subsequent phases focus on isolating components unique to hard-to-lyse bacteria, such as mycobacteria, and screening for enzymes to degrade them. Success in identifying enzymes targeting mycobacterial arabinogalactan will inform the search for enzymes targeting mycolic acids and peptidoglycan constituents. The outcome will lead to the discovery of novel enzymes and the development of next-generation lysis technologies.
This project will deepen our understanding of Clent Life Sciences' lysis reagents and enable the development of innovative lysis technologies for challenging bacterial targets."