Synthetically programmed antioxidant delivery by a domesticated skin commensal

Abstract

Bacteria represent a promising dynamic delivery system for the treatment of disease. In the skin, the relevant location of Cutibacterium acnes within the hair follicle makes this bacterium an attractive chassis for dermal biotechnological applications. Here, we provide a genetic toolbox for the engineering of this traditionally intractable bacterium, including basic gene expression tools, biocontainment strategies, markerless genetic engineering, and dynamic transcriptional regulation. As a proof of concept, we develop an antioxidant-secreting strain capable of reducing oxidative stress in a UV stress model.