Effects of bacteriocins on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 Nov;57(11):5572-9. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00888-13. Epub 2013 Aug 26.

Abstract

Control of biofilms formed by microbial pathogens is an important subject for medical researchers, since the development of biofilms on foreign-body surfaces often causes biofilm-associated infections in patients with indwelling medical devices. The present study examined the effects of different kinds of bacteriocins, which are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides produced by certain bacteria, on biofilms formed by a clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The activities and modes of action of three bacteriocins with different structures (nisin A, lacticin Q, and nukacin ISK-1) were evaluated. Vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic used in the treatment of MRSA infections, showed bactericidal activity against planktonic cells but not against biofilm cells. Among the tested bacteriocins, nisin A showed the highest bactericidal activity against both planktonic cells and biofilm cells. Lacticin Q also showed bactericidal activity against both planktonic cells and biofilm cells, but its activity against biofilm cells was significantly lower than that of nisin A. Nukacin ISK-1 showed bacteriostatic activity against planktonic cells and did not show bactericidal activity against biofilm cells. Mode-of-action studies indicated that pore formation leading to ATP efflux is important for the bactericidal activity against biofilm cells. Our results suggest that bacteriocins that form stable pores on biofilm cells are highly potent for the treatment of MRSA biofilm infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteriocins / chemistry
  • Bacteriocins / pharmacology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Humans
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / growth & development
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nisin / chemistry
  • Nisin / pharmacology*
  • Plankton / drug effects
  • Plankton / growth & development
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / chemistry
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacteriocins
  • Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
  • lacticin Q, Lactococcus lactis
  • nukacin ISK-1
  • Nisin
  • Vancomycin
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • nisin A