Cold-Azurin, a New Antibiofilm Protein Produced by the Antarctic Marine Bacterium sp. TAE6080.

Biofilm is accountable for nosocomial infections and chronic illness, making it a serious economic and public health problem. , thanks to its ability to form biofilm and colonize biomaterials, represents the most frequent causative agent involved in biofilm-associated infections of medical devices. Therefore, the research of new molecules able to interfere with biofilm formation has a remarkable interest.

Virulence of in Cystic Fibrosis: Relationships between Normoxia and Anoxia Lifestyle.

The airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are colonized by many pathogens and the most common is , an environmental pathogen that is able to infect immunocompromised patients thanks to its ability to develop resistance to conventional antibiotics. Over 12% of all patients colonized by harbour multi-drug resistant species. During airway infection in CF, adopts various mechanisms to survive in a hostile ecological niche characterized by low oxygen concentration, nutrient limitation and high osmotic pressure.

Antarctic Marine Bacteria as a Source of Anti-Biofilm Molecules to Combat ESKAPE Pathogens.

The ESKAPE pathogens, including bacteria such as , , , , , and species, pose a global health threat due to their ability to resist antimicrobial drugs and evade the immune system. These pathogens are responsible for hospital-acquired infections, especially in intensive care units, and contribute to the growing problem of multi-drug resistance. In this study, researchers focused on exploring the potential of Antarctic marine bacteria as a source of anti-biofilm molecules to combat ESKAPE pathogens.

Effect of Different Soil Treatments on Production and Chemical Composition of Essential Oils Extracted from Mill., L. and L.

The aim of the study was to investigate how essential oil production and associated chemical composition and related biological activity could be influenced by different cultivation treatments and distillation methods. Mill. (fennel), L.

Cranberry/Chondroitin Sulfate Co-precipitate as a New Method for Controlling Urinary Tract Infections.

Urinary tract infections (UTI), which are among the most frequent cases of infectious diseases, mainly affect women. The most common treatment approach involves the use of antibiotics, although this solution is not always the most suitable, mainly because of the resistance that bacterial strains develop. Proanthocyanidins are a class of polyphenols, abundantly contained in cranberry extracts, which have shown beneficial effects in the treatment of urinary tract infections, due to their anti-adhesive properties toward bacteria, with respect to the membranes of the cells of the urothelium and intestine, thus reducing their virulence.

Anti-Virulence Potential of a Chionodracine-Derived Peptide against Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

is an opportunistic pathogen causing several chronic infections resistant to currently available antibiotics. Its pathogenicity is related to the production of different virulence factors such as biofilm and protease secretion. communities can persist in biofilms that protect bacterial cells from antibiotics.

Serratiopeptidase Affects the Physiology of Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

is frequently involved in cystic fibrosis (CF) airway infections. Biofilm, motility, production of toxins and the invasion of host cells are different factors that increase virulence. The sessile phenotype offers protection to bacterial cells and resistance to antimicrobials and host immune attacks.

Essential Oils Biofilm Modulation Activity and Machine Learning Analysis on Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

The opportunistic pathogen is often involved in airway infections of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. It persists in the hostile CF lung environment, inducing chronic infections due to the production of several virulence factors. In this regard, the ability to form a biofilm plays a pivotal role in CF airway colonization by .

Anti-Virulence Properties of Essential Oil against Clinical Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections, and is often involved in airway infections of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. virulence is related to its ability to form biofilm, trigger different types of motilities, and produce toxins (for example, bacterial pigments). In this scenario, essential oils (EOs) have gained notoriety for their role in phenotype modulation, including virulence modulation.

Anti-Virulence Activity of the Cell-Free Supernatant of the Antarctic Bacterium sp. TAE2020 against Clinical Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

is an opportunistic pathogen often involved in airway infections of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Its pathogenicity is related to several virulence factors, such as biofilm formation, motility and production of toxins and proteases. The expression of these virulence factors is controlled by quorum sensing (QS).

Microscopy Methods for Biofilm Imaging: Focus on SEM and VP-SEM Pros and Cons.

Several imaging methodologies have been used in biofilm studies, contributing to deepening the knowledge on their structure. This review illustrates the most widely used microscopy techniques in biofilm investigations, focusing on traditional and innovative scanning electron microscopy techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), variable pressure SEM (VP-SEM), environmental SEM (ESEM), and the more recent ambiental SEM (ASEM), ending with the cutting edge Cryo-SEM and focused ion beam SEM (FIB SEM), highlighting the pros and cons of several methods with particular emphasis on conventional SEM and VP-SEM. As each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages, the choice of the most appropriate method must be done carefully, based on the specific aim of the study.

Essential Oils Biofilm Modulation Activity, Chemical and Machine Learning Analysis. Application on Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

Bacterial biofilm plays a pivotal role in chronic () infection and its inhibition may represent an important strategy to develop novel therapeutic agents. The scientific community is continuously searching for natural and "green alternatives" to chemotherapeutic drugs, including essential oils (EOs), assuming the latter not able to select resistant strains, likely due to their multicomponent nature and, hence, multitarget action. Here it is reported the biofilm production modulation exerted by 61 EOs, also investigated for their antibacterial activity on strains, including reference and cystic fibrosis patients' isolated strains.

Characterization of Biofilm by Original Scanning Electron Microscopy Protocol.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a severe manifestation of carious pathology with rapid and disruptive progression. The ECC microbiota includes a wide variety of bacterial species, among which is an anaerobic newly named species, a previously unidentified . Our aim was to provide the first ultrastructural characterization of and its biofilm by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using a protocol that faithfully preserved the biofilm architecture and allowed an investigation at very high magnifications (order of nanometers) and with the appropriate resolution.

Essential oils against bacterial isolates from cystic fibrosis patients by means of antimicrobial and unsupervised machine learning approaches.

Recurrent and chronic respiratory tract infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients result in progressive lung damage and represent the primary cause of morbidity and mortality. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the earliest bacteria in CF infants and children.

Cold-adapted bacterial extracts as a source of anti-infective and antimicrobial compounds against .

The dramatic emergence of antibiotic resistance has directed the interest of research toward the discovery of novel antimicrobial molecules. In this context, cold-adapted marine bacteria living in polar regions represent an untapped reservoir of biodiversity endowed with an interesting chemical repertoire. The aim of this work was to identify new antimicrobials and/or antibiofilm molecules produced by cold-adapted bacteria.

Machine Learning Analyses on Data including Essential Oil Chemical Composition and In Vitro Experimental Antibiofilm Activities against Species.

Biofilm resistance to antimicrobials is a complex phenomenon, driven not only by genetic mutation induced resistance, but also by means of increased microbial cell density that supports horizontal gene transfer across cells. The prevention of biofilm formation and the treatment of existing biofilms is currently a difficult challenge; therefore, the discovery of new multi-targeted or combinatorial therapies is growing. The development of anti-biofilm agents is considered of major interest and represents a key strategy as non-biocidal molecules are highly valuable to avoid the rapid appearance of escape mutants.

Pentadecanal inspired molecules as new anti-biofilm agents against Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Staphylococcus epidermidis, a harmless human skin colonizer, is a significant nosocomial pathogen in predisposed hosts because of its capability to form a biofilm on indwelling medical devices. In a recent paper, the purification and identification of the pentadecanal produced by the Antarctic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125, able to impair S. epidermidis biofilm formation, were reported.

Ultrasound affects minimal inhibitory concentration of ampicillin against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious global public health problems. Therefore, novel strategies are needed to counteract bacterial resistance development. The aim of the present study was to enhance the activity of antibiotics to bacteria by using ultrasound.

Virulence of MRSA USA300 is enhanced by sub-inhibitory concentration of two different classes of antibiotics.

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) USA300 is responsible of many kinds of infections of skin and soft-tissue. Antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and the ability to adhere and invade are virulence factors that contribute to MRSA pathogenesis. In some cases, decreased bioavailability of antibiotics in systemic circulation could result; in these conditions sub-therapeutic levels of the antibiotics may be established, exposing bacteria to sub-inhibitory concentrations.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity and Machine Learning Classification Analysis of Essential Oils from Different Mediterranean Plants against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

is a ubiquitous organism and opportunistic pathogen that can cause persistent infections due to its peculiar antibiotic resistance mechanisms and to its ability to adhere and form biofilm. The interest in the development of new approaches for the prevention and treatment of biofilm formation has recently increased. The aim of this study was to seek new non-biocidal agents able to inhibit biofilm formation, in order to counteract virulence rather than bacterial growth and avoid the selection of escape mutants.

Serratiopeptidase reduces the invasion of osteoblasts by Staphylococcus aureus.

Finding new strategies to counteract periprosthetic infection and implant failure is a main target in orthopedics. Staphylococcus aureus, the leading etiologic agent of orthopedic implant infections, is able to enter and kill osteoblasts, to stimulate pro-inflammatory chemokine secretion, to recruit osteoclasts, and to cause inflammatory osteolysis. Moreover, by entering eukaryotic cells, staphylococci hide from the host immune defenses and shelter from the extracellular antibiotics.

Hydrophobin coating prevents Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation on different surfaces.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a significant nosocomial pathogen in predisposed hosts because of its capability of forming a biofilm on indwelling medical devices. The initial stage of biofilm formation has a key role in S. epidermidis abiotic surface colonization.

Anti-Biofilm Activity of a Long-Chain Fatty Aldehyde from Antarctic TAC125 against Biofilm.

is a harmless human skin colonizer responsible for ~20% of orthopedic device-related infections due to its capability to form biofilm. Nowadays there is an interest in the development of anti-biofilm molecules. Marine bacteria represent a still underexploited source of biodiversity able to synthesize a broad range of bioactive compounds, including anti-biofilm molecules.

Exposure of E. coli to DNA-Methylating Agents Impairs Biofilm Formation and Invasion of Eukaryotic Cells via Down Regulation of the N-Acetylneuraminate Lyase NanA.

DNA methylation damage can be induced by endogenous and exogenous chemical agents, which has led every living organism to develop suitable response strategies. We investigated protein expression profiles of Escherichia coli upon exposure to the alkylating agent methyl-methane sulfonate (MMS) by differential proteomics. Quantitative proteomic data showed a massive downregulation of enzymes belonging to the glycolytic pathway and fatty acids degradation, strongly suggesting a decrease of energy production.

Large-scale biofilm cultivation of Antarctic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125 for physiologic studies and drug discovery.

Microbial biofilms are mainly studied due to detrimental effects on human health but they are also well established in industrial biotechnology for the production of chemicals. Moreover, biofilm can be considered as a source of novel drugs since the conditions prevailing within biofilm can allow the production of specific metabolites. Antarctic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125 when grown in biofilm condition produces an anti-biofilm molecule able to inhibit the biofilm of the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis.