Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress
The effects of natural compounds on biofilm formation have been extensively studied, with the goal of identifying biofilm formation antagonists at sub-lethal concentrations. Salicylic and cinnamic acids are some examples of these compounds that interact with the quinone oxidoreductase WrbA, a potent...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Antioxidants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/6/919 |
| _version_ | 1797531180596199424 |
|---|---|
| author | Federico Rossi Cristina Cattò Gianmarco Mugnai Federica Villa Fabio Forlani |
| author_facet | Federico Rossi Cristina Cattò Gianmarco Mugnai Federica Villa Fabio Forlani |
| author_sort | Federico Rossi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The effects of natural compounds on biofilm formation have been extensively studied, with the goal of identifying biofilm formation antagonists at sub-lethal concentrations. Salicylic and cinnamic acids are some examples of these compounds that interact with the quinone oxidoreductase WrbA, a potential biofilm modulator and an antibiofilm compound biomarker. However, WrbA’s role in biofilm development is still poorly understood. To investigate the key roles of WrbA in biofilm maturation and oxidative stress, <i>Escherichia coli</i> wild-type and ∆<i>wrb</i>A mutant strains were used. Furthermore, we reported the functional validation of WrbA as a molecular target of salicylic and cinnamic acids. The lack of WrbA did not impair planktonic growth, but rather affected the biofilm formation through a mechanism that depends on reactive oxygen species (ROS). The loss of WrbA function resulted in an ROS-sensitive phenotype that showed reductions in biofilm-dwelling cells, biofilm thickness, matrix polysaccharide content, and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> tolerance. Endogenous oxidative events in the mutant strain generated a stressful condition to which the bacterium responded by increasing the catalase activity to compensate for the lack of WrbA. Cinnamic and salicylic acids inhibited the quinone oxidoreductase activity of purified recombinant WrbA. The effects of these antibiofilm molecules on WrbA function was proven for the first time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:40:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a1a321b961b8493a9917d89dd3320120 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3921 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:40:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antioxidants |
| spelling | doaj.art-a1a321b961b8493a9917d89dd33201202023-11-21T23:01:19ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212021-06-0110691910.3390/antiox10060919Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative StressFederico Rossi0Cristina Cattò1Gianmarco Mugnai2Federica Villa3Fabio Forlani4Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, ItalyThe effects of natural compounds on biofilm formation have been extensively studied, with the goal of identifying biofilm formation antagonists at sub-lethal concentrations. Salicylic and cinnamic acids are some examples of these compounds that interact with the quinone oxidoreductase WrbA, a potential biofilm modulator and an antibiofilm compound biomarker. However, WrbA’s role in biofilm development is still poorly understood. To investigate the key roles of WrbA in biofilm maturation and oxidative stress, <i>Escherichia coli</i> wild-type and ∆<i>wrb</i>A mutant strains were used. Furthermore, we reported the functional validation of WrbA as a molecular target of salicylic and cinnamic acids. The lack of WrbA did not impair planktonic growth, but rather affected the biofilm formation through a mechanism that depends on reactive oxygen species (ROS). The loss of WrbA function resulted in an ROS-sensitive phenotype that showed reductions in biofilm-dwelling cells, biofilm thickness, matrix polysaccharide content, and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> tolerance. Endogenous oxidative events in the mutant strain generated a stressful condition to which the bacterium responded by increasing the catalase activity to compensate for the lack of WrbA. Cinnamic and salicylic acids inhibited the quinone oxidoreductase activity of purified recombinant WrbA. The effects of these antibiofilm molecules on WrbA function was proven for the first time.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/6/919WrbAquinone oxidoreductase activitybiofilm formationoxidative stressmature biofilm<i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| spellingShingle | Federico Rossi Cristina Cattò Gianmarco Mugnai Federica Villa Fabio Forlani Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress Antioxidants WrbA quinone oxidoreductase activity biofilm formation oxidative stress mature biofilm <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| title | Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress |
| title_full | Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress |
| title_fullStr | Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress |
| title_short | Effects of the Quinone Oxidoreductase WrbA on <i>Escherichia coli</i> Biofilm Formation and Oxidative Stress |
| title_sort | effects of the quinone oxidoreductase wrba on i escherichia coli i biofilm formation and oxidative stress |
| topic | WrbA quinone oxidoreductase activity biofilm formation oxidative stress mature biofilm <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/6/919 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT federicorossi effectsofthequinoneoxidoreductasewrbaoniescherichiacoliibiofilmformationandoxidativestress AT cristinacatto effectsofthequinoneoxidoreductasewrbaoniescherichiacoliibiofilmformationandoxidativestress AT gianmarcomugnai effectsofthequinoneoxidoreductasewrbaoniescherichiacoliibiofilmformationandoxidativestress AT federicavilla effectsofthequinoneoxidoreductasewrbaoniescherichiacoliibiofilmformationandoxidativestress AT fabioforlani effectsofthequinoneoxidoreductasewrbaoniescherichiacoliibiofilmformationandoxidativestress |