Compositions and methods for the removal of biofilms

1. A method for inhibiting, preventing or breaking down a microbial biofilm in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of an interfering agent, wherein the interfering agent is selected from the group of:

(a) an isolated or recombinant integration host factor (IHF) polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(b) an isolated or recombinant histone-like protein from E. coli strain U93 (HU) polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(c) an isolated or recombinant protein or polypeptide selected from the group of 1310 (HU), Spy1239 (HU), SGO — 0701 (HIpA), SAG — 0505 (Hup), Smu — 589 (HU), spr1020 (HU), YP — 003430069 (HIpA), MW1362 (HU), SERP1041 (Hup), b1712 (HimA), b0912 (HimD), (HupA), (HupB), HI1221 (HimA), HI1313 (HimD), HI0430 (HupA), Sty1771 (HimA), Sty0982 (HimD), YP — 003255965 (IHFalpha), YP — 003256209 (IhfB), YP — 003255304 (HU), FG — 0121 (Hup-1), PG — 1258 (Hup-2), NGO603 (IHFβ), NGO030 α), NMB — 0729 (HimA), NMB — 1302 (HimA), PA3161 (HimD), PA1804 (HupB), PA2758 (HimA), Hp0835 (Hup), BB — 0232 (Hbb), YP — 003626307 (HimA), YP — 003627027 (HimD), YP — 003626775 (HupB), VC — 0273 (HupA), VC — 1914 (HipB), VC — 1919 (HupB), VC — 1222 (HimA), Bcen2424 — 1048 (IHFB), Bcen2424 — 1481 (IHFA), BURPS668 — 2881 (IHFB), BURPS668 — 1718 (IHFA), MT — 3064 (HU), MSMEG — 2389 (Hup), TDE — 1709 (HU), TP — 0251 (DNA binding protein II), PREME0022 — 2103 (HupB), PREME0022 — 0268 (HupA), PREME0022 — 0341 (Hup), PREME0022 — 0340 (HimA), PIN_A0704 (Hup), PIN_A1504 (Hup-2), PIN — 0345 (HimA), PIN — 0343 (Hypothetical protein), BP2572 (IhfA), BP3530 (HupB), BP0951 (IhfB), Ef1550 (hup), (SEQ ID NOS: 42-76), (SEQ ID NOS: 101-128), (SEQ ID NOS:16-336) or a DNA binding peptide identified in (SEQ ID NOS: 1-36 and 337-340), or a fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(d) an isolated or recombinant polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 1 through 340, or an equivalent of each thereof, or a fragment or an equivalent of each fragment thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(e) an isolated or recombinant C-terminal polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 6 through 11, 28, 29, 42 through 100, an isolated or recombinant protein or polypeptide selected from the group of 1310 (HU), Spy1239 (HU), SGO — 0701 (HIpA), SAG — 0505 (Hup), Smu — 589 (HU), spr1020 (HU), YP — 003430069 (HIpA), MW1362 (HU), SERP1041 (Hup), b1712 (HimA), b0912 (HimD), (HupA), (HupB), HI1221 (HimA), HI1313 (HimD), HI0430 (HupA), Sty1771 (HimA), Sty0982 (HimD), YP — 003255965 (IHFalpha), YP — 003256209 (IhfB), YP — 003255304 (HU), FG — 0121 (Hup-1), PG — 1258 (Hup-2), NGO603 (IHFβ), NGO030 α), NMB — 0729 (HimA), NMB — 1302 (HimA), PA3161 (HimD), PA1804 (HupB), PA2758 (HimA), Hp0835 (Hup), BB — 0232 (Hbb), YP — 003626307 (HimA), YP — 003627027 (HimD), YP — 003626775 (HupB), VC — 0273 (HupA), VC — 1914 (HipB), VC — 1919 (HupB), VC — 1222 (HimA), Bcen2424 — 1048 (IHFB), Bcen2424 — 1481 (IHFA), BURPS668 — 2881 (IHFB), BURPS668 — 1718 (IHFA), MT — 3064 (HU), MSMEG — 2389 (Hup), TDE — 1709 (HU), TP — 0251 (DNA binding protein II), PREME0022 — 2103 (HupB), PREME0022 — 0268 (HupA), PREME0022 — 0341 (Hup), PREME0022 — 0340 (HimA), PIN_A0704 (Hup), PIN_A1504 (Hup-2), PIN — 0345 (HimA), PIN — 0343 (Hypothetical protein), BP2572 (IhfA), BP3530 (HupB), BP0951 (IhfB), Ef1550 (hup) or SEQ IDS NOS: 160-336 or a fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(f) a polypeptide or polynucleotide that competes with an integration host factor on binding to a microbial DNA;

(g) a four-way junction polynucleotide resembling a Holliday junction, a 3 way junction poly-nucleotide resembling a replication fork, a polynucleotide that has inherent flexibility or bent polynucleotide;

(h) an isolated or recombinant polynucleotide encoding any one of (a) through (t) or an isolated or recombinant polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO. 36 or an immunogenic equivalent of each thereof, or a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide or its complement wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(i) an antibody or antigen binding fragment that specifically recognizes or binds any one of (a) through (f), or an equivalent or fragment of each antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(j) an isolated or recombinant polynucleotide encoding the antibody or antigen binding fragment of (i) or its complement;

(k) a small molecule that competes with the binding of a DNABII protein or polypeptide to a microbial DNA; or

(l) an isolated or recombinant DNABII polypeptide or a fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm.

2. A method for inhibiting or breaking down a microbial biofilm, comprising contacting the biofilm with an interfering agent, wherein the interfering agent is of the group of:

(a) an isolated or recombinant integration host factor (IHF) polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the immunogenic fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(b) an isolated or recombinant histone-like protein from E. coli strain U93 (HU) polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(c) an isolated or recombinant protein or polypeptide selected from the group of 1310 (HU), Spy1239 (HU), SGO — 0701 (HIpA), SAG — 0505 (Hup), Smu — 589 (HU), spr1020 (HU), YP — 003430069 (HIpA), MW1362 (HU), SERP1041 (Hup), b1712 (HimA), b0912 (HimD), (HupA), (HupB), HI1221 (HimA), HI1313 (HimD), HI0430 (HupA), Sty1771 (HimA), Sty0982 (HimD), YP — 003255965 (IHFalpha), YP — 003256209 (IhfB), YP — 003255304 (HU), FG — 0121 (Hup-1), PG — 1258 (Hup-2), NGO603 (IHFβ), NGO030 α), NMB — 0729 (HimA), NMB — 1302 (HimA), PA3161 (HimD), PA1804 (HupB), PA2758 (HimA), Hp0835 (Hup), BB — 0232 (Hbb), YP — 003626307 (HimA), YP — 003627027 (HimD), YP — 003626775 (HupB), VC — 0273 (HupA), VC — 1914 (HipB), VC — 1919 (HupB), VC — 1222 (HimA), Bcen2424 — 1048 (IHFB), Bcen2424 — 1481 (IHFA), BURPS668 — 2881 (IHFB), BURPS668 — 1718 (IHFA), MT — 3064 (HU), MSMEG — 2389 (Hup), TDE — 1709 (HU), TP — 0251 (DNA binding protein II), PREME0022 — 2103 (HupB), PREME0022 — 0268 (HupA), PREME0022 — 0341 (Hup), PREME0022 — 0340 (HimA), PIN_A0704 (Hup), PIN_A1504 (Hup-2), PIN — 0345 (HimA), PIN — 0343 (Hypothetical protein), BP2572 (IhfA), BP3530 (HupB), BP0951 (IhfB), Ef1550 (hup), (SEQ ID NOS: 42-76), (SEQ ID NOS: 101-128), (SEQ ID NOS:16-336) or a DNA binding peptide identified in (SEQ ID NOS: 1-36 and 337-340), or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof′ wherein the immunogenic fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(d) an isolated or recombinant polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 1 through 340, or an equivalent of each thereof, or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each fragment thereof wherein the immunogenic fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(e) an isolated or recombinant C-terminal polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 6 through 11, 28, 29, 42 through 100, an isolated or recombinant protein or polypeptide selected from the group of 1310 (HU), Spy1239 (HU), SGO — 0701 (HIpA), SAG — 0505 (Hup), Smu — 589 (HU), spr1020 (HU), YP — 003430069 (HIpA), MW1362 (HU), SERP1041 (Hup), b1712 (HimA), b0912 (HimD), (HupA), (HupB), HI1221 (HimA), HI1313 (HimD), HI0430 (HupA), Sty1771 (HimA), Sty0982 (HimD), YP — 003255965 (IHFalpha), YP — 003256209 (IhfB), YP — 003255304 (HU), FG — 0121 (Hup-1), PG — 1258 (Hup-2), NGO603 (IHFβ), NGO030 α), NMB — 0729 (HimA), NMB — 1302 (HimA), PA3161 (HimD), PA1804 (HupB), PA2758 (HimA), Hp0835 (Hup), BB — 0232 (Hbb), YP — 003626307 (HimA), YP — 003627027 (HimD), YP — 003626775 (HupB), VC — 0273 (HupA), VC — 1914 (HipB), VC — 1919 (HupB), VC — 1222 (HimA), Bcen2424 — 1048 (IHFB), Bcen2424 — 1481 (IHFA), BURPS668 — 2881 (IHFB), BURPS668 — 1718 (IHFA), MT — 3064 (HU), MSMEG — 2389 (Hup), TDE — 1709 (HU), TP — 0251 (DNA binding protein II), PREME0022 — 2103 (HupB), PREME0022 — 0268 (HupA), PREME0022 — 0341 (Hup), PREME0022 — 0340 (HimA), PIN_A0704 (Hup), PIN_A1504 (Hup-2), PIN — 0345 (HimA), PIN — 0343 (Hypothetical protein), BP2572 (IhfA), BP3530 (HupB), BP0951 (IhfB), Ef1550 (hup) or SEQ IDS NOS: 160-336 or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm;

(f) a polypeptide or polynucleotide that competes with an integration host factor on binding to a microbial DNA;

(g) a four-way junction polynucleotide resembling a Holliday junction, a 3 way junction polynucleotide resembling a replication fork, a polynucleotide that has inherent flexibility or bent polynucleotide;

(h) an isolated or recombinant polynucleotide encoding any one of (a) through (f) or an isolated or recombinant polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO. 36 or an equivalent of each thereof, or a polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide or its complement;

(i) an antibody or antigen binding fragment that specifically recognizes or binds any one of (a) through (f), or an equivalent or fragment of each antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof;

(j) an isolated or recombinant polynucleotide encoding the antibody or antigen binding fragment of (i) or its complement;

(k) a small molecule that competes with the binding of a DNABII protein or polypeptide to a microbial DNA; or

(l) an isolated or recombinant DNABII polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the contacting is in vitro or in viva.

4. The method of claim 2 or 1 , wherein the interfering agent is an isolated or recombinant DNABII polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the DNABII polypeptide is of the group of an IHF polypeptide or a fragment thereof, a C-terminal fragment or an IHF polypeptide or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the immunogenic fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the DNABII polypeptide is an HU polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof a C-terminal immunogenic fragment of HU polypeptide, or an equivalent of each thereof wherein the fragment or equivalent thereof inhibits, prevents or breaks down a microbial biofilm.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the interfering agent is an antibody or antigen binding fragment that specifically recognizes or binds any one of (a) through (f), or an equivalent or fragment of each antibody or antigen binding fragment of each thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the antibody is one or more of the group of a polyclonal antibody, a monoclonal antibody, a humanized antibody, a human antibody, an antibody derivative, a veneered antibody, a diabody, an antibody derivative, a recombinant human antibody, a chimeric antibody, or an antibody fragment.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment further comprises modification by one or more of the group: a conservative amino acid mutation within the VH and/or VL CDR 1, CDR 2 and/or CDR 3 regions; by altering the number of cysteine residues or by conservative amino acid mutations in the Fe hinge region; by chemical modification; by pegylation; by conjugation to a serum protein; by conjugation to human serum albumin; by conjugation to a detectable label; by conjugation to a diagnostic agent; by conjugation to an enzyme; by conjugation to a prosthetic group complex; by conjugation to a fluorescent material; by conjugation to a luminescent material; by conjugation to a bioluminescent material; by conjugation to a radioactive material; by conjugation to a therapeutic agent; by fusion to at least one additional functional molecule; by fusion to a second antibody or antigen binding fragment; or by conjugation to an antimicrobial agent.

10. The method of claim 2 or 1 , further comprising contacting or administering an effective amount of one or more of an antimicrobial, a DNase, an antibody, an antigenic peptide or an adjuvant.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a non-human animal or a human patient.