1
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Chen H, Ng C, Tran NH, Haller L, Goh SG, Charles FR, Wu Z, Lim JX, Gin KYH. Removal efficiency of antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and genes across parallel secondary settling tank and membrane bioreactor treatment trains in a water reclamation plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 924:171723. [PMID: 38492595 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is recognized as a potent threat to human health. Wastewater treatment facilities are viewed as hotspots for the spread of antimicrobial resistance. This study provides comprehensive data on the occurrences of 3 different antibiotic resistant opportunistic pathogens (with resistance to up to 5 antibiotics), 13 antibiotic resistant genes and intI1, and 22 different antimicrobial residues in a large water reclamation plant (176 million gallons per day) that runs a conventional Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) reactor followed by a secondary settling tank (SST) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) in parallel. All the antibiotic resistant bacteria and most of the antibiotic resistance genes were present in the raw influent, ranging from 2.5 × 102-3.7 × 106 CFU/mL and 1.2× 10-1-6.5 × 1010 GCN/mL, respectively. MBR outperformed the SST system in terms of ARB removal as the ARB targets were largely undetected in MBR effluent, with log removals ranging from 2.7 to 6.8, while SST only had log removals ranging from 0.27 to 4.6. Most of the ARG concentrations were found to have significantly higher in SST effluent than MBR permeate, and MBR had significantly higher removal efficiency for most targets (p < 0.05) except for sul1, sul2, blaOXA48, intI1 and 16S rRNA genes (p > 0.05). As for the antibiotic residues (AR), there was no significant removal from the start to the end of the treatment process, although MBR had higher removal efficiencies for azithromycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, erythromycin-H2O, lincomycin, sulfamethoxazole and triclosan, compared to the SST system. In conclusion, MBR outperformed SST in terms of ARB and ARGs removal. However low removal efficiencies of most AR targets were apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Chen
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Charmaine Ng
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Ngoc Han Tran
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Laurence Haller
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Shin Giek Goh
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Francis Rathinam Charles
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Zhixin Wu
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Jit Xin Lim
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building (#02-01), 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A-07-03, 1 Engineering Drive 2, 117576, Singapore.
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2
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Srivastava A, Verma N, Kumar V, Apoorva P, Agarwal V. Biofilm inhibition/eradication: exploring strategies and confronting challenges in combatting biofilm. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:212. [PMID: 38616221 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03938-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms enclosed in a self-produced extracellular matrix, posing a significant threat to different sectors, including healthcare and industry. This review provides an overview of the challenges faced due to biofilm formation and different novel strategies that can combat biofilm formation. Bacteria inside the biofilm exhibit increased resistance against different antimicrobial agents, including conventional antibiotics, which can lead to severe problems in livestock and animals, including humans. In addition, biofilm formation also imposes heavy economic pressure on industries. Hence it becomes necessary to explore newer alternatives to eradicate biofilms effectively without applying selection pressure on the bacteria. Excessive usage of antibiotics may also lead to an increase in the number of resistant strains as bacteria employ an advanced antimicrobial resistance mechanism. This review provides insight into multifaceted technologies like quorum sensing inhibition, enzymes, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophage, phytocompounds, and nanotechnology to neutralize biofilms without developing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Furthermore, it will pave the way for developing newer therapeutic agents to deal with biofilms more efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anmol Srivastava
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nidhi Verma
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vivek Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pragati Apoorva
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vishnu Agarwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Sompiyachoke K, Elias MH. Engineering quorum quenching acylases with improved kinetic and biochemical properties. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4954. [PMID: 38520282 PMCID: PMC10960309 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Many Gram-negative bacteria use N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL) signals to coordinate phenotypes such as biofilm formation and virulence factor production. Quorum-quenching enzymes, such as AHL acylases, chemically degrade these molecules which prevents signal reception by bacteria and inhibits undesirable biofilm-related traits. These capabilities make acylases appealing candidates for controlling microbes, yet candidates with high activity levels and substrate specificity and that are capable of being formulated into materials are needed. In this work, we undertook engineering efforts against two AHL acylases, PvdQ and MacQ, to generate these improved properties using the Protein One-Stop Shop Server. The engineering of acylases is complicated by low-throughput enzymatic assays. Alleviating this challenge, we report a time-course kinetic assay for AHL acylases that monitors the real-time production of homoserine lactone. Using the assay, we identified variants of PvdQ that were significantly stabilized, with melting point increases of up to 13.2°C, which translated into high resistance against organic solvents and increased compatibility with material coatings. While the MacQ mutants were unexpectedly destabilized, they had considerably improved kinetic properties, with >10-fold increases against N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone and N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone. Accordingly, these changes resulted in increased quenching abilities using a biosensor model and greater inhibition of virulence factor production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14. While the crystal structure of one of the MacQ variants, M1, did not reveal obvious structural determinants explaining the observed changes in kinetics, it allowed for the capture of an acyl-enzyme intermediate that confirms a previously hypothesized catalytic mechanism of AHL acylases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Sompiyachoke
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and BiophysicsUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Mikael H. Elias
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and BiophysicsUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
- Biotechnology InstituteSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
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4
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Iaconis A, De Plano LM, Caccamo A, Franco D, Conoci S. Anti-Biofilm Strategies: A Focused Review on Innovative Approaches. Microorganisms 2024; 12:639. [PMID: 38674584 PMCID: PMC11052202 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Biofilm (BF) can give rise to systemic infections, prolonged hospitalization times, and, in the worst case, death. This review aims to provide an overview of recent strategies for the prevention and destruction of pathogenic BFs. First, the main phases of the life cycle of BF and maturation will be described to identify potential targets for anti-BF approaches. Then, an approach acting on bacterial adhesion, quorum sensing (QS), and the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix will be introduced and discussed. Finally, bacteriophage-mediated strategies will be presented as innovative approaches against BF inhibition/destruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Iaconis
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (L.M.D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Laura Maria De Plano
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (L.M.D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Antonella Caccamo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (L.M.D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Domenico Franco
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (L.M.D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Sabrina Conoci
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.I.); (L.M.D.P.); (A.C.)
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- URT Lab Sens Beyond Nano—CNR-DSFTM, Department of Physical Sciences and Technologies of Matter, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
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Zhang J, Lu K, Zhu L, Li N, Lin D, Cheng Y, Wang M. Inhibition of quorum sensing serves as an effective strategy to mitigate the risks of human bacterial pathogens in soil. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133272. [PMID: 38134686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The coexistence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in human bacterial pathogens (HBPs) increases their risks to ecological security and human health and no effective strategy is available. Herein, we demonstrated two typical quorum sensing (QS) interfering agents, 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide (4-NPO, a QS inhibitor) and Acylase Ⅰ (a quorum quenching (QQ) enzyme), effectively decreased the abundance of HBPs by 48.30% and 72.54%, respectively, which was accompanied by the reduction of VFGs, ARGs, and MGEs. The decrease in QS signals mediated by QS interfering agents disturbed bacterial communication and inhibited biofilm formation. More importantly, QS interfering agents reduced the intra-species and inter-species conjugation frequencies among bacteria, considerably inhibiting the dissemination of ARGs and VFGs via horizontal gene transfer. Furthermore, the QS interfering agents did not significantly affect the metabolic function of other nonpathogenic microorganisms in the soil. Collectively, our study provides an effective and eco-friendly strategy to mitigate the risks of HBPs in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghan Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Kun Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Na Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Da Lin
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yangjuan Cheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Meizhen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
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Chadha J, Khullar L, Gulati P, Chhibber S, Harjai K. Repurposing albendazole as a potent inhibitor of quorum sensing-regulated virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Novel prospects of a classical drug. Microb Pathog 2024; 186:106468. [PMID: 38036112 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa has emerged as a critical superbug that poses a serious threat to public health. Owing to its virulence and multidrug resistance profiles, the pathogen demands immediate attention for devising alternate intervention strategies. In an attempt to repurpose drugs against P. aeruginosa, this preclinical study was aimed at investigating the antivirulence prospects of albendazole (AbZ), an FDA-approved anti-helminthic drug, recently predicted to disrupt quorum sensing (QS) in Chromobacterium violaceum. AbZ was scrutinized for its quorum quenching (QQ) prospects, effect on bacterial virulence, different motility phenotypes, and biofilm formation in vitro. Additionally, in silico analysis was employed to predict the molecular interactions between AbZ and QS receptors. At sub-inhibitory levels, AbZ demonstrated anti-QS activity and significantly abrogated AHL biosynthesis in P. aeruginosa. Moreover, AbZ significantly downregulated the transcript levels of QS- (lasI/lasR, rhlI/rhlR, and pqsA/pqsR) and QS-dependent virulence (aprA, lasA, lasB, plcH, and toxA) genes in P. aeruginosa. This coincided with reduced hemolysin, alginate, pyocyanin, rhamnolipids, total protease, and elastase production, thereby lowering phenotypic virulence. Molecular docking with AbZ further revealed strong associations and high binding energies with LasR (-8.8 kcal/mol), RhlR (-6.5 kcal/mol), and PqsR (-6.3 kcal/mol) receptors. AbZ also impeded bacterial motility and abolished EPS production, severely compromising pseudomonal biofilm formation. For the first time, AbZ was shown to interfere with QS circuitry and consequently disarming pseudomonal virulence. Hence, AbZ can be exploited for its antivirulence properties against P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Chadha
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Lavanya Khullar
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Pallavi Gulati
- RLA College, University of Delhi (South Campus), New Delhi, India
| | - Sanjay Chhibber
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kusum Harjai
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
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7
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Song D, Jia A, Qi X, Dong K, Liu S, Man C, Yang X, Jiang Y. Co-culture of Cronobacter sakazakii and Staphylococcus aureus: Explore the influence of mixed biofilm formation and regulation of Cronobacter sakazakii biofilm formation genes. Food Res Int 2023; 173:113457. [PMID: 37803782 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial biofilm is a protective matrix composed of metabolites secreted by bacteria that envelop bacteria. By forming a biofilm, bacteria can considerably improve their environmental tolerance. In food-related processing environment, different types of microorganisms are often present in biofilms. The main contaminating strain in the powdered infant formula (PIF) processing environment, Cronobacter sakazakii and Staphylococcus aureus continues to pollute the PIF processing environment after biofilm production. This study selected Cronobacter sakazakii with a weak biofilm-forming ability as one of the test organisms. The coexistence of Cronobacter sakazakii and Staphylococcus aureus on the surface of production equipment was simulated to analyze the interaction. Biofilm formation in the co-culture group was significantly higher than the others. In-depth study of the effect of Staphylococcus aureus on the biofilm formation genes of Cronobacter sakazakii. Results show two bacteria can coexist on the surface of a metal device, forming a more compact hybrid biofilm structure. Under co-culture conditions, S. aureus increased bcsA and fliD expression in Cronobacter sakazakii, whereas decreased bcsC expression. Signaling molecules produced by Staphylococcus aureus (Autoinducer 2) significantly promoted the biofilm formation of Cronobacter sakazakii at the concentration of 0-500 ng/mL (0.099-0.177) and up-regulated the expression of bcsA, filD and flhD genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danliangmin Song
- Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China.
| | - Ai Jia
- Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China.
| | - Xuehe Qi
- Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China.
| | - Kai Dong
- Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China.
| | - Shiyu Liu
- Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China.
| | - Chaoxin Man
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Xinyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150038, China.
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Sompiyachoke K, Elias MH. Engineering Quorum Quenching Acylases with Improved Kinetic and Biochemical Properties. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.01.555929. [PMID: 37693529 PMCID: PMC10491313 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.01.555929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Many Gram-negative bacteria respond to N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL) signals to coordinate phenotypes such as biofilm formation and virulence factor production. Quorum-quenching enzymes, such as acylases, chemically degrade AHL signals, prevent signal reception by bacteria, and inhibit undesirable traits related to biofilm. These capabilities make these enzymes appealing candidates for controlling microbes. Yet, enzyme candidates with high activity levels, high substrate specificity for specific interference, and that are capable of being formulated into materials are needed. In this work, we undertook engineering efforts against two AHL acylases, PvdQ and MacQ, to obtain improved acylase variants. The engineering of acylase is complicated by low-throughput enzymatic assays. To alleviate this challenge, we report a time-course kinetic assay for AHL acylase that tracks the real-time production of homoserine lactone. Using the protein one-stop shop server (PROSS), we identified variants of PvdQ that were significantly stabilized, with melting point increases of up to 13.2 °C, which translated into high resistance against organic solvents and increased compatibility with material coatings. We also generated mutants of MacQ with considerably improved kinetic properties, with >10-fold increases against N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone and N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone. In fact, the variants presented here exhibit unique combinations of stability and activity levels. Accordingly, these changes resulted in increased quenching abilities using a biosensor model and greater inhibition of virulence factor production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14. While the crystal structure of one of the MacQ variants, M1, did not reveal obvious structural determinants explaining the observed changes in kinetics, it allowed for the capture of an acyl-enzyme intermediate that confirms a previously hypothesized catalytic mechanism of AHL acylases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Sompiyachoke
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Mikael H. Elias
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- University of Minnesota, Biotechnology Institute, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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9
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The two faces of pyocyanin - why and how to steer its production? World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:103. [PMID: 36864230 PMCID: PMC9981528 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03548-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
The ambiguous nature of pyocyanin was noted quite early after its discovery. This substance is a recognized Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factor that causes problems in cystic fibrosis, wound healing, and microbiologically induced corrosion. However, it can also be a potent chemical with potential use in a wide variety of technologies and applications, e.g. green energy production in microbial fuel cells, biocontrol in agriculture, therapy in medicine, or environmental protection. In this mini-review, we shortly describe the properties of pyocyanin, its role in the physiology of Pseudomonas and show the ever-growing interest in it. We also summarize the possible ways of modulating pyocyanin production. We underline different approaches of the researchers that aim either at lowering or increasing pyocyanin production by using different culturing methods, chemical additives, physical factors (e.g. electromagnetic field), or genetic engineering techniques. The review aims to present the ambiguous character of pyocyanin, underline its potential, and signalize the possible further research directions.
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Li J, Li Z, Xie J, Xia Y, Gong W, Tian J, Zhang K, Yu E, Wang G. Quorum-quenching potential of recombinant PvdQ-engineered bacteria for biofilm formation. INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SPANISH SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY 2023:10.1007/s10123-023-00329-1. [PMID: 36773196 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00329-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is a core mechanism for bacteria to regulate biofilm formation, and therefore, QS inhibition or quorum quenching (QQ) is used as an effective and economically feasible strategy against biofilms. In this study, the PvdQ gene encoding AHL acylase was introduced into Escherichia coli (DE3), and a PvdQ-engineered bacterium with highly efficient QQ activity was obtained and used to inhibit biofilm formation. Gene sequencing and western blot analysis showed that the recombinant pET-PvdQ strain was successfully constructed. The color reaction of Agrobacterium tumefaciens A136 indicated that PvdQ engineering bacteria had shown strong AHL signal molecule quenching activity and significantly inhibited the adhesion (motility) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and biofilm formation of activated sludge bacteria in Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR; inhibition rate 51-85%, p < 0.05). In addition, qRT-PCR testing revealed that recombinant PvdQ acylase significantly reduced the transcription level of QS biofilm formation-related genes (cdrA, pqsA, and lasR; p < 0.05). In this study, QQ genetically engineered bacteria enhanced by genetic engineering could effectively inhibit the QS signal transduction mechanism and have the potential to control biofilm formation of pathogenic bacteria in the aquaculture environment, providing an environmentally friendly and alternative antibiotic strategy to suppress biofilm contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junlin Li
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Nanhui New City, No.999, Huchenghuan Rd, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Zhifei Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Jun Xie
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China.
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China.
| | - Yun Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Wangbao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Jingjing Tian
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Ermeng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Guangjun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), No.1 Xingyu Road, Xilang, Guangzhou, Liwan District, 510380, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Ecological Remediation of Aquaculture Pollution Research Center, Guangzhou, 510380, China
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11
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Lv X, Wang L, Mei A, Xu Y, Ruan X, Wang W, Shao J, Yang D, Dong X. Recent Nanotechnologies to Overcome the Bacterial Biofilm Matrix Barriers. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206220. [PMID: 36470671 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial biofilm-related infectious diseases severely influence human health. Under typical situations, pathogens can colonize inert or biological surfaces and form biofilms. Biofilms are functional aggregates that coat bacteria with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The main reason for the failure of biofilm infection treatment is the low permeability and enrichment of therapeutic agents within the biofilm, which results from the particular features of biofilm matrix barriers such as negatively charged biofilm components and highly viscous compact EPS structures. Hence, developing novel therapeutic strategies with enhanced biofilm penetrability is crucial. Herein, the current progress of nanotechnology methods to improve therapeutic agents' penetrability against biofilm matrix, such as regulating material morphology and surface properties, utilizing the physical penetration of nano/micromotors or microneedle patches, and equipping nanoparticles with EPS degradation enzymes or signal molecules, is first summarized. Finally, the challenges, perspectives, and future implementations of engineered delivery systems to manage biofilm infections are presented in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Lv
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Leichen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Anqing Mei
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Xiaohong Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Wenjun Wang
- School of Physical Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, 252059, China
| | - Jinjun Shao
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Dongliang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Xiaochen Dong
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), Nanjing, 211816, China
- School of Chemistry & Materials Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, China
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12
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Zhao Y, Min H, Luo K, Chen H, Chen Q, Sun W. Insight into sulfamethoxazole effects on aerobic denitrification by strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa PCN-2: From simultaneous degradation performance to transcriptome analysis. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137471. [PMID: 36493888 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
It is a well-established fact that aerobic denitrifying strains are profoundly affected by antibiotics, but bacterium performing simultaneous aerobic denitrification and antibiotic degradation is hardly reported. Here, a typical aerobic denitrifying bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PCN-2 was discovered to be capable of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation. The results showed that nitrate removal efficiency was decreased from 100% to 88.12%, but the resistance of strain PCN-2 to SMX stress was enhanced with the increment of SMX concentration from 0 to 100 mg/L. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the down-regulation of energy metabolism pathways rather than the denitrifying functional genes was responsible for the suppressed nitrogen removal, while the up-regulation of antibiotic resistance pathways (e.g., biofilm formation, multi-drug efflux system, and quorum sensing) ensured the survival of bacterium and the carrying out of aerobic denitrification. Intriguingly, strain PCN-2 could degrade SMX during aerobic denitrification. Seven metabolites were identified by the UHPLC-MS, and three degradation pathways (which includes a new pathway that has never been reported) was proposed combined with the expressions of drug metabolic genes (e.g., cytP450, FMN, ALDH and NAT). This work provides a mechanistic understanding of the metabolic adaption of strain PCN-2 under SMX stress, which provided a broader idea for the treatment of SMX-containing wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyi Zhao
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Hongchao Min
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Urban Water Recycling and Environmental Safety, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Kongyan Luo
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing, 100871, PR China
| | - Huan Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, South Carolina, 29634, United States
| | - Qian Chen
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing, 100871, PR China.
| | - Weiling Sun
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing, 100871, PR China
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13
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Molecular Mechanisms and Applications of N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone-Mediated Quorum Sensing in Bacteria. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27217584. [PMID: 36364411 PMCID: PMC9654057 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27217584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial biodiversity includes biotic and abiotic components that support all life forms by adapting to environmental conditions. Climate change, pollution, human activity, and natural calamities affect microbial biodiversity. Microbes have diverse growth conditions, physiology, and metabolism. Bacteria use signaling systems such as quorum sensing (QS) to regulate cellular interactions via small chemical signaling molecules which also help with adaptation under undesirable survival conditions. Proteobacteria use acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules as autoinducers to sense population density and modulate gene expression. The LuxI-type enzymes synthesize AHL molecules, while the LuxR-type proteins (AHL transcriptional regulators) bind to AHLs to regulate QS-dependent gene expression. Diverse AHLs have been identified, and the diversity extends to AHL synthases and AHL receptors. This review comprehensively explains the molecular diversity of AHL signaling components of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Chromobacterium violaceum, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Escherichia coli. The regulatory mechanism of AHL signaling is also highlighted in this review, which adds to the current understanding of AHL signaling in Gram-negative bacteria. We summarize molecular diversity among well-studied QS systems and recent advances in the role of QS proteins in bacterial cellular signaling pathways. This review describes AHL-dependent QS details in bacteria that can be employed to understand their features, improve environmental adaptation, and develop broad biomolecule-based biotechnological applications.
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Targeted Anti-Biofilm Therapy: Dissecting Targets in the Biofilm Life Cycle. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15101253. [DOI: 10.3390/ph15101253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilm is a crucial virulence factor for microorganisms that causes chronic infection. After biofilm formation, the bacteria present improve drug tolerance and multifactorial defense mechanisms, which impose significant challenges for the use of antimicrobials. This indicates the urgent need for new targeted technologies and emerging therapeutic strategies. In this review, we focus on the current biofilm-targeting strategies and those under development, including targeting persistent cells, quorum quenching, and phage therapy. We emphasize biofilm-targeting technologies that are supported by blocking the biofilm life cycle, providing a theoretical basis for design of targeting technology that disrupts the biofilm and promotes practical application of antibacterial materials.
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15
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de Celis M, Belda I, Marquina D, Santos A. Phenotypic and transcriptional study of the antimicrobial activity of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles on a wastewater biofilm-forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:153915. [PMID: 35219669 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The extensive use of nanoparticles (NPs) in industrial processes makes their potential release into the environment an issue of concern. Ag and ZnO NPs are among the most frequently used NPs, potentially reaching concentrations of 1-4 and 64 mg/kg, respectively, in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), with unknown effects over microbial populations. Thus, we examined, in depth, the effect of such NPs on a P. aeruginosa strain isolated from a WWTP. We evaluated the growth, ROS production and biofilm formation, in addition to the transcriptomic response in presence of Ag and ZnO NPs at concentrations potentially found in sewage sludge. The transcriptomic and phenotypic patterns of P. aeruginosa in presence of Ag NPs were, in general, similar to the control treatment, with some specific transcriptional impacts affecting processes involved in biofilm formation and iron homeostasis. The biofilms formed under Ag NPs treatment were, on average, thinner and more homogeneous. ZnO NPs also alters the biofilm formation and iron homeostasis in P. aeruginosa, however, the higher and more toxic concentrations utilized caused an increase in cell death and eDNA release. Thus, the biofilm development was characterized by EPS production, via eDNA release. The number of differentially expressed genes in presence of ZnO NPs was higher compared to Ag NPs treatment. Even though the responses of P. aeruginosa to the presence of the studied metallic NPs was at some extent similar, the higher and more toxic concentrations of ZnO NPs produced greater changes concerning cell viability and ROS production, causing disruption in biofilm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- M de Celis
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - I Belda
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - D Marquina
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Santos
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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16
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Chung TH, Zakaria BS, Meshref MNA, Dhar BR. Enhancing quorum sensing in biofilm anode to improve biosensing of naphthenic acids. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 210:114275. [PMID: 35447397 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The feasibility of enhancing quorum sensing (QS) in anode biofilm to improve the quantifications of commercial naphthenic acid concentrations (9.4-94 mg/L) in a microbial electrochemical cell (MXC) based biosensor was demonstrated in this study. First, three calibration methods were systematically compared, and the charging-discharging operation was selected for further experiments due to its 71-227 folds higher electrical signal outputs than the continuous closed-circuit operation and cyclic voltammetry modes. Then, the addition of acylase (5 μg/L) as an exogenous QS autoinducer (acylase) was investigated, which further improved the biosensor's electrical signal output by ∼70%, as compared to the control (without acylase). The addition of acylase increased the relative expression of QS-associated genes (lasR, lasI, rhlR, rhlI, lasA, and luxR) by 7-100%, along with increased abundances of known electroactive bacterial genera, such as Geobacter (from 42% to 47%) and Desulfovibrio (from 6% to 11%). Furthermore, toxicities of different NAs concentrations measured with the Microtox bioassay test were correlated with corresponding electrical signals, indicating that MXC-biosensor can provide a dual platform for rapid assessment of both NA concentrations and NA-associated toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hyun Chung
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Basem S Zakaria
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed N A Meshref
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada; Public Works Department, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, 1 El Sarayat St., Abbassia, Cairo, 11517, Egypt
| | - Bipro Ranjan Dhar
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211-116, Street NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1H9, Canada.
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Chadha J, Harjai K, Chhibber S. Repurposing phytochemicals as anti-virulent agents to attenuate quorum sensing-regulated virulence factors and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microb Biotechnol 2021; 15:1695-1718. [PMID: 34843159 PMCID: PMC9151347 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Unregulated consumption and overexploitation of antibiotics have paved the way for emergence of antibiotic‐resistant strains and ‘superbugs’. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the opportunistic nosocomial pathogens causing devastating infections in clinical set‐ups globally. Its artillery equipped with diversified virulence elements, extensive antibiotic resistance and biofilms has made it a ‘hard‐to‐treat’ pathogen. The pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa is modulated by an intricate cell density‐dependent mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). The virulence artillery of P. aeruginosa is firmly controlled by QS genes, and their expression drives the aggressiveness of the infection. Attempts to identify and develop novel antimicrobials have seen a sharp rise in the past decade. Among different proposed mechanisms, a novel anti‐virulence approach to target pseudomonal infections by virtue of anti‐QS and anti‐biofilm drugs appears to occupy the centre stage. In this respect, bioactive phytochemicals have gained prominence among the scientific community owing to their significant quorum quenching (QQ) properties. Recent studies have shed light on the QQ activities of various phytochemicals and other drugs in perturbing the QS‐dependent virulence in P. aeruginosa. This review highlights the recent evidences that reinforce the application of plant bioactives for combating pseudomonal infections, their advantages and shortcomings in anti‐virulence therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Chadha
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kusum Harjai
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sanjay Chhibber
- Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
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