LAUSR

Endolysins are the lytic products of bacteriophage, which play a specific role in the release of phage progeny by degrading the peptidoglycan of host bacterium. In the light of antibiotic resistance, endolysins are being considered as an alternative therapeutic agent because of their exceptional ability to target bacterial cells when applied externally. Endolysins have been explored against a number of drug resistant pathogens to assess their therapeutic ability. Present review focuses on the endolysin structure in terms of cell binding and catalytic domains, lytic ability, resistance, safety, immunogenicity and future applications. It primarily reviews the recent advancements made in the evaluation of therapeutic potential of endolysins, including their origin, host range, applications and synergy with conventional and non conventional antimicrobial agents.