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Influence of clove oil on certain quorum-sensing-regulated functions and biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas hydrophila

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Abstract

Quorum sensing (QS) plays an important role in virulence, biofilm formation and survival of many pathogenic bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This signalling pathway is considered as novel and promising target for anti-infective agents. In the present investigation, effect of the Sub-MICs of clove oil on QS regulated virulence factors and biofilm formation was evaluated against P. aeruginosa PAO1 and Aeromonas hydrophila WAF-38 strain. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of the clove oil demonstrated statistically significant reduction of las- and rhl-regulated virulence factors such as LasB, total protease, chitinase and pyocyanin production, swimming motility and exopolysaccharide production. The biofilm forming capability of PAO1 and A. hydrophila WAF-38 was also reduced in a concentration-dependent manner at all tested sub-MIC values. Further, the PAO1-preinfected Caenorhabditis elegans displayed an enhanced survival when treated with 1.6% v/v of clove oil. The above findings highlight the promising anti-QS-dependent therapeutic function of clove oil against P. aeruginosa.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the University Grants Commission (Grant No. F. 33-208/2007) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India, for awarding the INSPIRE fellowship to FMH. We are also thankful to Prof Robert JC McLean (University of Texas, USA) and Prof Thomas K Wood (Pennsylvania State University, USA) for providing QS bioreporter strains. We are also grateful to Dr Ruchita Pal, AIRF, JNU, New Delhi, India, for her kind assistance in using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) facility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202 002, India

    Fohad Mabood Husain & Iqbal Ahmad

  2. Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202 002, India

    Mohammad Asif & Qudsia Tahseen

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  1. Fohad Mabood Husain
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  2. Iqbal Ahmad
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  3. Mohammad Asif
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  4. Qudsia Tahseen
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Correspondence to Iqbal Ahmad.

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Corresponding editor: DURGADAS P KASBEKAR

MS received 27 March 2013; accepted 16 September 2013

Corresponding editor: Durgadas P Kasbekar

[Husain FM, Ahmad I, Asif M and Tahseen Q 2013 Influence of clove oil on certain quorum-sensing-regulated functions and biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas hydrophila. J. Biosci. 38 1–10] DOI 10.1007/s12038-013-9385-9

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Husain, F.M., Ahmad, I., Asif, M. et al. Influence of clove oil on certain quorum-sensing-regulated functions and biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas hydrophila . J Biosci 38, 835–844 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9385-9

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