title: ZnO nanoparticles inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation and virulence factor production.
abstract: The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a variety of virulence factors, and biofilms of this bacterium are much more resistant to antibiotics than planktonic cells. Thirty-six metal ions have been investigated to identify antivirulence and antibiofilm metal ions. Zinc ions and ZnO nanoparticles were found to markedly inhibit biofilm formation and the production of pyocyanin, Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS), pyochelin, and hemolytic activity of P. aeruginosa without affecting the growth of planktonic cells. Transcriptome analyses showed that ZnO nanoparticles induce the zinc cation efflux pump czc operon and several important transcriptional regulators (porin gene opdT and type III repressor ptrA), but repress the pyocyanin-related phz operon, which explains observed phenotypic changes. A mutant study showed that the effects of ZnO nanoparticles on the control of pyocyanin production and biofilm formation require the czc regulator CzcR. In addition, ZnO nanoparticles markedly increased the cellular hydrophilicity of P. aeruginosa cells. Our results support that ZnO nanoparticles are potential antivirulence materials against recalcitrant P. aeruginosa infections and possibly other important pathogens.
authors: School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jinhlee@ynu.ac.kr.
authors: Jin-Hyung
authors: JH
authors: Lee
authors: School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yongguy7@ynu.ac.kr.
authors: Yong-Guy
authors: YG
authors: Kim
authors: School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: mhcho@ynu.ac.kr.
authors: Moo Hwan
authors: MH
authors: Cho
authors: School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jtlee@ynu.ac.kr.
authors: Jintae
authors: J
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D053758:Nanoparticles; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009876:Operon; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D011710:Pyocyanine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D014157:Transcription Factors; D037521:Virulence Factors; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C016837:zinc chloride; D011710:Pyocyanine; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Biofilm inhibition; Biofouling; Metal ions; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; ZnO nanoparticles