Cholera, a deadly diarrheal disease, continues to ravage various parts of the world. It is caused by Vibrio cholerae, an important member of the gamma-proteobacteria. Based on certain genetic and phenotypic tests, the organism is classified into two major biotypes, namely classical and El Tor. The El Tor and its variants are majorly responsible for the ongoing seventh pandemic across the globe. Previously, we have shown that cross-feeding of glucose metabolic acidic by-products of gut commensals can severely affect the viability of the biotypes. In this work, we examined the effect of L-ascorbic acid on the survival of Vibrio cholerae strains belonging to both biotypes and different serotypes. We observed that L-ascorbic acid effectively restricts the growth of all strains under various conditions including strains adapted to acid stress. In addition, L-ascorbic acid is also effective in decreasing bile-induced biofilms of Vibrio cholerae.
Keywords: L-ascorbic acid; Vibrio cholerae; acetoin; bile salts; biofilm.