Targeted antimicrobials and related compositions, methods and systems

1. A method to identify an antimicrobial specific for one or more related microorganisms, the method comprising:

identifying a lytic enzyme expressed and encoded by a microorganism or by a microorganism related thereto to provide a candidate antimicrobial, the lytic enzyme capable of targeting one or more moieties presented on the exterior of the microorganism, the one or more moieties providing the microorganism with structural support and/or protection;

contacting the candidate antimicrobial with the microorganism for a time and under condition to allow an antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism; and

selecting the candidate antimicrobial having a detectable microbial killing or growth inhibition activity for the microorganism

wherein the identifying is performed by comparing sequences of the microorganism with a model lytic enzyme and selecting the candidate antimicrobial having at least about 40% identity or about 50% similarity with the at least one model lytic enzyme or the portion thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more moieties comprise peptidoglycan, cellulose, hemicelluloses, glycoproteins, and in particular glycoprotein S-layers, pseudopeptidoglycan, polysaccharides, and/or glucosamine polymers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lytic enzyme is a muramidase, an amidase, an endopeptidases, or an L-alanyl-D-glutamate peptidase.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a Bacillus.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a food-borne pathogen.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a soil microorganism.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is an insecticidal microorganism.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is an environmental microorganism.

10. A method to identify an antimicrobial specific for one or more related microorganisms, the method comprising:

identifying a lytic enzyme expressed and encoded by a microorganism or by a microorganism related thereto to provide a candidate antimicrobial, the lytic enzyme capable of targeting one or more moieties presented on the exterior of the microorganism, the one or more moieties providing the microorganism with structural support and/or protection, the identifying performed by comparing sequences of the microorganism with a model lytic enzyme and selecting the candidate antimicrobial having at least about 40% identity or about 50% similarity with the at least one model lytic enzyme or the portion thereof;

isolating or synthesizing in vitro the identified candidate antimicrobial to obtain an isolated or synthesized candidate antimicrobial;

contacting the isolated or synthesized candidate antimicrobial with the microorganism for a time and under condition to allow an antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism; and

selecting the candidate antimicrobial having a detectable microbial killing or growth inhibition activity for the microorganism.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more moieties comprise peptidoglycan, cellulose, hemicelluloses, glycoproteins, and in particular glycoprotein S-layers, pseudopeptidoglycan, polysaccharides, and/or glucosamine polymers.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the lytic enzyme is a muramidase, an amidase, an endopeptidases, or an L-alanyl-D-glutamate peptidase.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the model lytic enzyme is a lysozyme or an endolysine.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is a Bacillus.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is a food-borne pathogen.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is a soil microorganism.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is an insecticidal microorganism.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is an environmental microorganism.

20. A method to identify an antimicrobial specific for one or more related microorganisms, the method comprising:

identifying a lytic enzyme expressed and encoded by a microorganism or by a microorganism related thereto to provide a candidate antimicrobial, the lytic enzyme capable of targeting one or more moieties presented on the exterior of the microorganism, the one or more moieties providing the microorganism with structural support and/or protection, the identifying performed by comparing sequences of the microorganism with a model lytic enzyme and selecting the candidate antimicrobial having at least about 40% identity or about 50% similarity with the at least one model lytic enzyme or the portion thereof, the comparing performed by computational analysis;

contacting an isolated or synthesized candidate antimicrobial with the microorganism for a time and under condition to allow an antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism; and

detecting the antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism following the contacting to select the candidate antimicrobial having a detectable microbial killing or growth inhibition for the microorganism.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the one or more moieties comprise peptidoglycan, cellulose, hemicelluloses, glycoproteins, and in particular glycoprotein S-layers, pseudopeptidoglycan, polysaccharides, and/or glucosamine polymers.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the lytic enzyme is a muramidase, an amidase, an endopeptidases, or an L-alanyl-D-glutamate peptidase.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the model lytic enzyme is a lysozyme or an endolysine.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microorganism is a Bacillus.

26. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microorganism is a food-borne pathogen.

27. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microorganism is a soil microorganism.

28. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microorganism is an insecticidal microorganism.

29. The method of claim 20 , wherein the microorganism is an environmental microorganism.

30. A method to identify an antimicrobial specific for one or more related microorganisms, the method comprising:

identifying a lytic enzyme expressed and encoded by a microorganism or by a microorganism related thereto to provide a candidate antimicrobial, the lytic enzyme capable of targeting one or more moieties presented on the exterior of the microorganism, the one or more moieties providing the microorganism with structural support and/or protection,

contacting the candidate antimicrobial with the microorganism for a time and under condition to allow an antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism; and

selecting the candidate antimicrobial having a detectable microbial killing or growth inhibition activity for the microorganism

wherein the identifying is performed by comparing sequences of the microorganism with a model lytic enzyme and selecting the candidate antimicrobial having at least about 40% identity or about 50% similarity with the at least one model lytic enzyme or the portion thereof, and wherein the model lytic enzyme is a lysozyme or an endolysine.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the one or more moieties comprise peptidoglycan, cellulose, hemicelluloses, glycoproteins, and in particular glycoprotein S-layers, pseudopeptidoglycan, polysaccharides, and/or glucosamine polymers.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the lytic enzyme is a muramidase, an amidase, an endopeptidases, or an L-alanyl-D-glutamate peptidase.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.

34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is a Bacillus.

35. The method of claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is a food-borne pathogen.

36. The method of claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is a soil microorganism.

37. The method of claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is an insecticidal microorganism.

38. The method of claim 30 , wherein the microorganism is an environmental microorganism.

39. A method to identify an antimicrobial specific for one or more related microorganisms, the method comprising:

identifying a lytic enzyme expressed and encoded by a microorganism or by a microorganism related thereto to provide a candidate antimicrobial, the lytic enzyme capable of targeting one or more moieties presented on the exterior of the microorganism, the one or more moieties providing the microorganism with structural support and/or protection,

contacting the candidate antimicrobial with the microorganism for a time and under condition to allow an antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism; and

selecting the candidate antimicrobial having a detectable microbial killing or growth inhibition activity for the microorganism

wherein the microorganism is a Bacillus.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the one or more moieties comprise peptidoglycan, cellulose, hemicelluloses, glycoproteins, and in particular glycoprotein S-layers, pseudopeptidoglycan, polysaccharides, and/or glucosamine polymers.

41. The method of claim 39 , wherein the lytic enzyme is a muramidase, an amidase, an endopeptidases, or an L-alanyl-D-glutamate peptidase.

42. The method of claim 39 , wherein the model lytic enzyme is a lysozyme or an endolysine.

43. The method of claim 39 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.

44. The method of claim 39 , wherein the microorganism is a food-borne pathogen.

45. The method of claim 39 , wherein the microorganism is a soil microorganism.

46. The method of claim 39 , wherein the microorganism is an environmental microorganism.

47. A method to identify an antimicrobial specific for one or more related microorganisms, the method comprising:

identifying a lytic enzyme expressed and encoded by a microorganism or by a microorganism related thereto to provide a candidate antimicrobial, the lytic enzyme capable of targeting one or more moieties presented on the exterior of the microorganism, the one or more moieties providing the microorganism with structural support and/or protection;

contacting the candidate antimicrobial with the microorganism for a time and under condition to allow an antimicrobial activity of the candidate antimicrobial on the microorganism; and

selecting the candidate antimicrobial having a detectable microbial killing or growth inhibition activity for the microorganism

wherein the microorganism is an insecticidal microorganism.

48. The method of claim 47 , wherein the one or more moieties comprise peptidoglycan, cellulose, hemicelluloses, glycoproteins, and in particular glycoprotein S-layers, pseudopeptidoglycan, polysaccharides, and/or glucosamine polymers.

49. The method of claim 47 , wherein the lytic enzyme is a muramidase, an amidase, an endopeptidases, or an L-alanyl-D-glutamate peptidase.

50. The method of claim 47 , wherein the model lytic enzyme is a lysozyme or an endolysine.

51. The method of claim 47 , wherein the microorganism is a bacterium.

52. The method of claim 47 , wherein the microorganism is a Bacillus.

53. The method of claim 47 , wherein the microorganism is a food-borne pathogen.

54. The method of claim 47 , wherein the microorganism is a soil microorganism.

55. The method of claim 47 , wherein the microorganism is an environmental microorganism.