Vanillic acid from Actinidia deliciosa impedes virulence in Serratia marcescens by affecting S-layer, flagellin and fatty acid biosynthesis proteins

Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 27;7(1):16328. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-16507-x.

Abstract

Serratia marcescens is one of the important nosocomial pathogens which rely on quorum sensing (QS) to regulate the production of biofilm and several virulence factors. Hence, blocking of QS has become a promising approach to quench the virulence of S. marcescens. For the first time, QS inhibitory (QSI) and antibiofilm potential of Actinidia deliciosa have been explored against S. marcescens clinical isolate (CI). A. deliciosa pulp extract significantly inhibited the virulence and biofilm production without any deleterious effect on the growth. Vanillic acid was identified as an active lead responsible for the QSI activity. Addition of vanillic acid to the growth medium significantly affected the QS regulated production of biofilm and virulence factors in a concentration dependent mode in S. marcescens CI, ATCC 14756 and MG1. Furthermore vanillic acid increased the survival of Caenorhabditis elegans upon S. marcescens infection. Proteomic analysis and mass spectrometric identification of differentially expressed proteins revealed the ability of vanillic acid to modulate the expression of proteins involved in S-layers, histidine, flagellin and fatty acid production. QSI potential of the vanillic acid observed in the current study paves the way for exploring it as a potential therapeutic candidate to treat S. marcescens infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actinidia / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / microbiology
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fatty Acids / biosynthesis
  • Flagellin / metabolism*
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Proteome
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Quorum Sensing / drug effects
  • Serratia marcescens / drug effects*
  • Serratia marcescens / pathogenicity
  • Serratia marcescens / physiology*
  • Vanillic Acid / chemistry
  • Vanillic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Virulence / drug effects*
  • Virulence Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Fatty Acids
  • Plant Extracts
  • Proteome
  • Virulence Factors
  • Flagellin
  • Vanillic Acid