title: Anti-biofilm potential of phenolic acids: the influence of environmental pH and intrinsic physico-chemical properties.
abstract: Phenolic acids are a particular group of small phenolic compounds which have exhibited some anti-biofilm activity, although the link between their activity and their intrinsic pH is not clear. Therefore, the present work examined the anti-biofilm activity (inhibition of biomass and metabolic activity) of phenolic acids in relation to the environmental pH, as well as other physico-chemical properties. The results indicate that, while Escherichia coli was not inhibited by the phenolic acids, both methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis were susceptible to the action of all phenolic acids, with the pH playing a relevant role in the activity: a neutral pH favored MRSE inhibition, while acidic conditions favored MRSA inhibition. Some links between molecular polarity and size were associated only with their potential as metabolic inhibitors, with the overall interactions hinting at a membrane-based mechanism for MRSA and a cytoplasmic effect for MRSE.
authors.affiliation: a CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: a CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: Eduardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: a CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.|c CINTESIS - Center for Research in Health Technologies and Information Systems , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calhau
authors.affiliation: a CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.affiliation: a CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: M Manuela
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pintado
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D018533:Biomass; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; C017616:phenolic acid
keywords: Escherichia coli; MRSA; MRSE; Phenolic acids; anti-biofilm activity