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Metwaly AM, Saleh MM, Alsfouk BA, Ibrahim IM, Abd-Elraouf M, Elkaeed EB, Eissa IH. Anti-virulence potential of patuletin, a natural flavone, against Staphylococcus aureus: In vitro and In silico investigations. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24075. [PMID: 38293404 PMCID: PMC10824781 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a highly prevalent and aggressive human pathogen causing a wide range of infections. This study aimed to explore the potential of Patuletin, a rare natural flavone, as an anti-virulence agent against S. aureus. At a sub-inhibitory concentration (1/4 MIC), Patuletin notably reduced biofilm formation by 27 % and 23 %, and decreased staphyloxanthin production by 53 % and 46 % in Staphylococcus aureus isolate SA25923 and clinical isolate SA1, respectively. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the in vitro findings, several in silico analyses were conducted. Initially, a 3D-flexible alignment study demonstrated a favorable structural similarity between Patuletin and B70, the co-crystallized ligand of CrtM, an enzyme that plays a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of staphyloxanthin. Molecular docking highlighted the strong binding of Patuletin to the active site of CrtM, with a high affinity of -20.95 kcal/mol. Subsequent 200 ns molecular dynamics simulations, along with MM-GBSA, ProLIF, PLIP, and PCAT analyses, affirmed the stability of the Patuletin-CrtM complex, revealing no significant changes in CrtM's structure upon binding. Key amino acids crucial for binding were also identified. Collectively, this study showcased the effective inhibition of CrtM activity by Patuletin in silico and its attenuation of key virulence factors in vitro, including biofilm formation and staphyloxanthin production. These findings hint at Patuletin's potential as a valuable therapeutic agent, especially in combination with antibiotics, to counter antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Metwaly
- Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 11884, Egypt
- Biopharmaceutical Products Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Moustafa M. Saleh
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
| | - Bshra A. Alsfouk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim M. Ibrahim
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Muhamad Abd-Elraouf
- Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 11884, Egypt
| | - Eslam B. Elkaeed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, 13713, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim H. Eissa
- Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Design Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 11884, Egypt
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Tao Z, Ke K, Shi D, Zhu L. Development of a dual fluorescent reporter system to identify inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0097823. [PMID: 37889047 PMCID: PMC10686081 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00978-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a formidable pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections, and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has posed significant challenges in treating these infections. In this study, we have established a novel dual reporter system capable of concurrently monitoring the activities of two critical virulence regulators in S. aureus. By incorporating both reporters into a single screening platform, we provide a time- and cost-efficient approach for assessing the activity of compounds against two distinct targets in a single screening round. This innovative dual reporter system presents a promising strategy for the identification of molecules capable of modulating virulence gene expression in S. aureus, potentially expediting the development of antivirulence therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanhua Tao
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Natural Products and Combinatorial Biosynthesis Chemistry, Nanning, China
| | - Ke Ke
- Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China
| | | | - Libo Zhu
- Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China
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