Antibiofilm Activity of a Trichoderma Metabolite against Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, Alone and in Association with a Phage

Marina Papaianni; Annarita Ricciardelli; Andrea Fulgione; Giada d'Errico; Astolfo Zoina; Matteo Lorito; Sheridan L Woo; Francesco Vinale; Rosanna Capparelli

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8050620

Antibiofilm Activity of a Trichoderma Metabolite against Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, Alone and in Association with a Phage

Microorganisms. 2020 Apr 25;8(5):620. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8050620.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy.
² Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy.
³ Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno (IZSM), 80055 Portici (NA), Italy.
⁴ Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy.
⁵ Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
⁶ Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy.

Abstract

Biofilm protects bacteria against the host's immune system and adverse environmental conditions. Several studies highlight the efficacy of lytic phages in the prevention and eradication of bacterial biofilms. In this study, the lytic activity of Xccφ1 (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris-specific phage) was evaluated in combination with 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (a secondary metabolite produced by Trichoderma atroviride P1) and the mineral hydroxyapatite. Then, the antibiofilm activity of this interaction, called a φHA6PP complex, was investigated using confocal laser microscopy under static and dynamic conditions. Additionally, the mechanism used by the complex to modulate the genes (rpf, gumB, clp and manA) involved in the biofilm formation and stability was also studied. Our results demonstrated that Xccφ1, alone or in combination with 6PP and HA, interfered with the gene pathways involved in the formation of biofilm. This approach can be used as a model for other biofilm-producing bacteria.

Keywords: 6-pentyl-α-pyrone; Gram-negative bacterium; Trichoderma; Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris; antibiofilm; antibiosis; antibiotic resistance; secondary metabolites.