title: Biological activity of Pinus nigra terpenes--evaluation of FtsZ inhibition by selected compounds as contribution to their antimicrobial activity.
abstract: In the current work, in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activites of the needle terpenes of three taxa of Pinus nigra from Serbia (ssp. nigra, ssp. pallasiana, and var. banatica) were analyzed. The black pine essential oils showed generally weak antioxidative properties tested by two methods (DPPH and ABTS scavenging assays), where the highest activity was identified in P. nigra var. banatica (IC50=25.08 mg/mL and VitC=0.67 mg (vitamin C)/g when tested with the DPPH and ABTS reagents, respectively). In the antimicrobial assays, one fungal (Aspergilus niger) and two bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) showed sensitivity against essential oils of all three P. nigra taxa. The tested oils have been shown to possess inhibitory action in the range from 20.00 to 0.62 mg/mL, where var. banatica exhibited the highest and ssp. nigra the lowest antimicrobial action. In order to determine potential compounds that are responsible for alternative mode of action, molecular docking simulations inside FtsZ (a prokaryotic homolog of tubulin) were performed. Tested compounds were the most abundant terpenoid (germacrene D-4-ol) and its structurally similar terpene (germacrene D), both present in all three essential oils. It was determined that the oxygenated form of the molecule creates stable bonds with investigated enzyme FtsZ, and that this compound, through this mechanism of action participates in the antimicrobial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia. Electronic address: saraczorica@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zorica
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sarac
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Boulevard Dr Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Matejić
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zorica Z
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Stojanović-Radić
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Boulevard Dr Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jovana B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Veselinović
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden "Jevremovac", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Džamić
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Boulevard Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bojović
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden "Jevremovac", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Petar D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Marin
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D013729:Terpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes
keywords: Bacillus cereus; Biological activity; Molecular docking; Needle terpenes; Pinus nigra