In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of coenzyme Q0 (CoQ0) on biofilm formation and the expression of virulence genes by Cronobacter sakazakii. We found that the minimum inhibitory concentration of CoQ0 against C. sakazakii strains ATCC29544 and ATCC29004 was 100 μg/mL, while growth curve assays showed that subinhibitory concentrations (SICs) of CoQ0 for both strains were 6.4, 3.2, 1.6 and 0.8 μg/mL. Assays exploring the inhibition of specific biofilm formation showed that SICs of CoQ0 inhibited biofilm formation by C. sakazakii in a dose-dependent manner, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy analyses. CoQ0 inhibited the swimming and swarming motility of C. sakazakii and reduced its ability to adhere to and invade HT-29 cells. In addition, CoQ0 impeded the ability of C. sakazakii to survive and replicate within RAW 264.7 cells. Finally, real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that nine C. sakazakii genes associated with biofilm formation and virulence were downregulated in response to CoQ0 treatment. Overall, our findings suggest that CoQ0 is a promising antibiofilm agent and provide new insights for the prevention and control of infections caused by C. sakazakii.
Keywords: Cronobacter sakazakii; adhesion; antibiofilm; coenzyme Q0; invasion; survival and replication.