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Antagonistic Roles of Gallates and Ascorbic Acid in Pyomelanin Biosynthesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms

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Abstract

Primarily synthesized for chelating metal ions from the surrounding media, the pyomelanin plays an important role in bacterial virulence where it is needed for infection and biofilm formation as well as protection from host immune response. In this study, two out of three phenolic acids, gallic acid, and propyl gallate induced pyomelanin in two clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and inhibited biofilm formation. Ascorbic acid treatment reversed the gallic acid and propyl gallate mediated pyomelanin synthesis without reversing the inhibition of the biofilm formation. mRNA expression study revealed the upregulation of homogentisic acid oxidase enzyme by ascorbic acid treatment, possibly contributing towards the inhibition of pyomelanin synthesis. Tannic acid did not show any antibacterial or pyomelanin-induction activities. The synergistic effect of gallates and ascorbic acid in the inhibition of biofilm formation and associated pyomelanin synthesis was evidenced which needs further studies to establish their antibacterial efficacies, especially against the clinical isolates of Pseudomonas sp.

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Data Availability

Yes.

Code Availability

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

AA:

Ascorbic acid

TA:

Tannic acid

GA:

Gallic acid

PG:

Propyl gallate

HPPD:

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase

HMG:

Homogentisic acid

HmgA:

Homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by research grants from the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India (Ref. 6242-P5/RGCB/PMD/DBT/SMNB/2015) to SB, from the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India (Ref. ECR/2016/000898) to AR, and a research fellowship from B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology to RY.

Funding

This work was supported by research grants from the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India (Ref. 6242-P5/RGCB/PMD/DBT/SMNB/2015) to SB, from the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India (Ref. ECR/2016/000898) to AR, and a research fellowship from B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology to RY.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600048, India

    Rekha Yamini Kosuru & Soumen Bera

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Indian Academy Degree College, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560043, India

    Amrita Roy

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  1. Rekha Yamini Kosuru
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  2. Amrita Roy
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  3. Soumen Bera
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RY has conceptualized the work, designed and conducted the experiments, analyzed the data, prepared the manuscript; AR has conceptualized the work and prepare the manuscript, SB has conceptualized the work, designed the experiments, prepared the manuscript, and supervised the overall work.

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Correspondence to Soumen Bera.

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Kosuru, R.Y., Roy, A. & Bera, S. Antagonistic Roles of Gallates and Ascorbic Acid in Pyomelanin Biosynthesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. Curr Microbiol 78, 3843–3852 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-021-02655-x

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