title: Altered expression level of Escherichia coli proteins in response to treatment with the antifouling agent zosteric acid sodium salt.
abstract: Zosteric acid sodium salt is a powerful antifouling agent. However, the mode of its antifouling action has not yet been fully elucidated. Whole cell proteome of Escherichia coli was analysed to study the different protein patterns expressed by the surface-exposed planktonic cells without and with sublethal concentrations of the zosteric acid sodium salt. Proteomic analysis revealed that at least 27 proteins showed a significant (19 upregulated and 8 downregulated, P < 0.001) altered expression level in response to the antifoulant. The proteomic signatures of zosteric acid sodium salt-treated cells are characterized by stress-associated (e.g. AhpC, OsmC, SodB, GroES, IscU, DnaK), motility-related (FliC), quorum-sensing-associated (LuxS) and metabolism/biosynthesis-related (e.g. PptA, AroA, FabD, FabB, GapA) proteins. Consistent with the overexpression of LuxS enzyme, the antifouling agent increased autoinducer-2 (AI-2) concentration by twofold. Moreover, treated cells experienced a statistically significant but modest increase of reactive oxygen species (+ 23%), tryptophanase (1.2-fold) and indole (1.2-fold) synthesis. Overall, our data suggest that zosteric acid sodium salt acts as environmental cue leading to global stress on E. coli cells, which favours the expression of various protective proteins, the AI-2 production and the synthesis of flagella, to escape from adverse conditions.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e Microbiologiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Remelli
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forlani
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitali
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cappitelli
mesh_terms: D057219:Biofouling / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005407:Flagella / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D007783:Lactones / Q000378:metabolism; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002934:Cinnamates; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D007783:Lactones; C091088:N-octanoylhomoserine lactone; D020543:Proteome; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; C503399:zosteric acid; D006714:Homoserine