Candida albicans is considered as the primary etiologic agent of candidiasis, a very common fungal infection in human. The yeast to hyphal transition and ability to form hypoxic biofilm on medical devices is well allied with virulence and antifungal resistance of C. albicans. Antagonistic agents that inhibit biofilm formation and alter susceptibility of C. albicans to conventional antifungals is of profound need. The present study explores the antibiofilm efficacy of Bacillus subtilis, a marine bacterial isolate from Palk Bay against C. albicans. Mass spectrometric analysis of ethyl acetate extract of B. subtilis unveiled 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (5HM2F) as one of its major components. 5HM2F demonstrated concentration dependent biofilm inhibition, which was also corroborated through microscopic analysis. Furthermore, 5HM2F was effective in inhibiting other virulence factors of C. albicans such as morphological transition and secreted hydrolases production. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis showed alteration in amide bond region. The reduction in ergosterol content and increased antifungal susceptibility was well allied with real time PCR result, which showed down regulation of genes involved in drug resistance mechanisms. In vivo study using Caenorhabditis elegans also substantiated the antivirulence efficacy of 5HM2F at in vivo condition. Thus, the present study reports the therapeutic potential of 5HM2F against C. albicans infections.

白色念珠菌被认为是念珠菌病的主要病原体，念珠菌病是人类非常常见的真菌感染。酵母向菌丝的转化和在医疗器械上形成低氧生物膜的能力与白色念珠菌的毒性和抗真菌性密切相关。迫切需要抑制生物膜形成并改变白色念珠菌对常规抗真菌药敏感性的拮抗剂。本研究探索了枯草芽孢杆菌的抗生物膜功效，枯草芽孢杆菌是一种来自帕克湾的海洋细菌分离株，对白色念珠菌具有抗药性。枯草芽孢杆菌乙酸乙酯提取物的质谱分析推出了5-羟甲基-2-糠醛（5HM2F）作为其主要成分之一。5HM2F表现出浓度依赖性的生物膜抑制作用，这也通过显微镜分析得到证实。此外，5HM2F可有效抑制白色念珠菌的其他毒力因子，例如形态转变和分泌的水解酶产生。傅立叶变换红外光谱分析表明酰胺键区发生了变化。实时PCR结果很好地证明了麦角固醇含量的降低和抗真菌药性的提高，这表明下调了与耐药机制有关的基因。使用秀丽隐杆线虫的体内研究还证实了5HM2F在体内的抗毒功效状况。因此，本研究报告了5HM2F对白色念珠菌感染的治疗潜力。