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Antiquorum sensing activity of silver nanoparticles in P. aeruginosa: an in silico study

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Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa an opportunistic pathogen regulates its virulence through Quorum sensing (QS) mechanism comprising of Las and Rhl system. Targeting of QS mechanism could be an ideal strategy to combat infection caused by P. aeruginosa. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been broadly applied as antimicrobial agents against a number of pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains, but have not been reported as an anti-QS agent. Therefore, the aim of present work was to show the computational analysis for the interaction of AgNPs with the QS system using an In silico approach. In silico studies showed that AgNPs got ‘locked’ deeply into the active site of respective proteins with their surrounding residues. The molecular docking analysis clearly demonstrated that AgNPs got bound to the catalytic cleft of LasI synthase (Asp73-Ag = 3.1 Å), RhlI synthase (His52-Ag = 2.8 Å), transcriptional receptor protein LasR (Leu159-Ag = 2.3 Å) and RhlR (Trp10-Ag = 3.1 Å and Glu34-Ag = 3.2 Å). The inhibition of LasI/RhlI synthase by AgNPs blocked the biosynthesis of AHLs, thus no AHL produced, no QS occurred. Further, interference with transcriptional regulatory proteins led to the inactivation of LasR/RhlR system that finally blocked the expression of QS-controlled virulence genes. Our findings clearly demonstrate the anti-QS property of AgNPs in P. aeruginosa which could be an alternative approach to the use of traditional antibiotics for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infection.

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Acknowledgments

Mr. Syed Ghazanfar Ali is grateful to UGC, New Delhi, India for research assistance. Authors thank to Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India and IRMC, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia for providing instruments facilities and other items used in this study.

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Author notes

  1. Syed Ghazanfar Ali, Mohammad Azam Ansari and Qazi Mohd. Sajid Jamal contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Nanotechnology and Antimicrobial Drug Resistance Research Laboratory, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, 202002, India

    Syed Ghazanfar Ali, Haris M. Khan & Mohammad Jalal

  2. Department of Microbiology, Institute of Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), University of Dammam, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammad Azam Ansari

  3. Department of Health Information Management, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Buraydah Colleges, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia

    Qazi Mohd. Sajid Jamal

  4. Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

    Hilal Ahmad

  5. Departments of Biochemistry, King George Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Abbas Ali Mahdi

Authors
  1. Syed Ghazanfar Ali
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  2. Mohammad Azam Ansari
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  3. Qazi Mohd. Sajid Jamal
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  4. Haris M. Khan
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  5. Mohammad Jalal
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  6. Hilal Ahmad
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  7. Abbas Ali Mahdi
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Correspondence to Syed Ghazanfar Ali or Mohammad Azam Ansari.

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Ali, S.G., Ansari, M.A., Sajid Jamal, Q.M. et al. Antiquorum sensing activity of silver nanoparticles in P. aeruginosa: an in silico study. In Silico Pharmacol. 5, 12 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40203-017-0031-3

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