국립 부경대학교

Pukyong National University, ‘Attention’ to Research on Antibiofilm Applications of Marine-Derived Substances

-Professor Kim Young-mok’s Research Team … Published in the Prestigious Journal <Cell>, a Sister Journal of <Trends in Biotechnology>

The research team led by Professor Kim Young-mok (Department of Food Engineering) at Pukyong National University on the potential applications of marine-derived substances for antibiofilm has been published in the prestigious journal <Trends in Biotechnology> (2023 IF=14.3), a sister journal of <Cell>.

Professor Kim Young-mok (corresponding author) from Pukyong National University, Professor Fazlur Rahman Khan (corresponding author) from the National Institute of Fisheries Science, Jeong Geum-jae (first author) from the Department of Food Engineering, Jo Gyeong-jin (co-author) Ph.D. candidate, and Dr. Najia Tabassum (co-author) from the Marine Bionics Convergence Technology Center published the paper (Marine-derived bioactive materials as antibiofilm and antivirulence agents) in the October issue of this journal.

In this paper, the research team comprehensively discussed the underlying mechanisms by which marine-derived substances inhibit biofilm formation and toxic factors, and proposed the potential applications of effective antibiofilm and antivirulence agents.

Biofilm is a type of protective layer formed to safeguard structures made up of organisms or microorganisms. While biofilms serve to protect against external environments, they also create conditions conducive to microbial proliferation, which can lead to antibiotic resistance issues.

In this paper, the research team reported that marine-derived bioactive substances exhibit antibiofilm and antivirulence activities through the inhibition of pathogen quorum sensing, suppression of amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, and mechanisms of intracellular ROS generation.

The research team provided a new therapeutic approach to treat biofilm infections, a major mechanism of antibiotic resistance, and expects that marine-derived substances can be applied to the development of novel therapeutics that offer a different paradigm from existing antibiotics.

Meanwhile, this research was conducted with the support of the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Basic Research Program in the Field of Science and Technology, through the University Research Center (Marine Bionics Convergence Technology Center· Professor Jeong Won-kyo, Director)