Manuka honey reduces the motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
by suppression of flagella-associated genes
J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 Nov 16. pii: dku448
OBJECTIVES:
Manuka honey is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that
seems to affect different bacteria in many different ways. It has been shown to
be bactericidal against Pseudomonas aeruginosa by destabilizing the cell wall,
but we aimed to investigate whether there were further intracellular target
sites.
METHODS:
In this study inhibitory effects of manuka honey on P.
aeruginosa were investigated using hydrophobicity assays, two-dimensional
electrophoresis, quantitative RT-PCR, transmission electron microscopy and
motility assays.
RESULTS:
Exposure of P. aeruginosa to manuka honey reduced both
swarming and swimming motility. Moreover, this was a consequence of
de-flagellation of the bacterial cell, which was correlated with decreased
expression of the major structural flagellin protein, FliC, and concurrent
suppression of flagellin-associated genes, including fliA, fliC, flhF, fleN,
fleQ and fleR. The differential expression of the flagellar regulon in the
presence of manuka honey was mapped schematically. Flagella are integral to
bacterial adhesion, the initiation of infection and biofilm formation, and
swarming has been associated with increased virulence.
CONCLUSIONS:
By limiting motility in vitro, we infer that manuka honey
impacts on the virulence of P. aeruginosa. This deduction must now be tested in
vivo.
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