Phage depolymerase modulates virulence and biofilm in hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae by CPS-mediated suppression of type 3 fimbriae

Phage-derived depolymerases represent a promising antibiotic alternative for treating Klebsiella pneumoniae infections. Depolymerases can increase the sensitivity of bacteria to the host immune system and complement-mediated killing by specifically degrading capsular polysaccharides (CPS). However, the impact of depolymerases on bacterial biofilm formation remains unclear. This study found that depolymerase treatment significantly enhances the biofilm formation capability of hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp) strains, which inherently exhibit relatively weak biofilm formation due to their thick capsular polysaccharide (CPS) layers. Further investigation revealed that depolymerase-mediated CPS degradation relieved its repression on the type 3 fimbriae gene cluster mrkABCDF, thereby promoting biofilm formation. In vivo experiments in mice also showed that CPS can inhibit virulence functions associated with type 3 fimbriae. Furthermore, we found that CPS-mediated biofilm inhibition appears to be a common phenomenon among hvKp strains. In summary, by elucidating the dual role of depolymerase in modulating both virulence and biofilm in hvKp, our work reveals a potential interaction between CPS and type 3 fimbriae, providing deeper insights into the pathogenicity of this clinically important bacterium.