Journal
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
Volume 101, Issue 1, Pages 136-151Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13379
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Funding
- European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme [ERC-AdG 249780]
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In bacterial biofilms, which are often involved in chronic infections, cells are surrounded by a self-produced extracellular matrix that contains amyloid fibres, exopolysaccharides and other biopolymers. The matrix contributes to the pronounced resistance of biofilms against antibiotics and host immune systems. Being highly inflammatory, matrix amyloids such as curli fibres of Escherichia coli can also play a role in pathogenicity. Using macrocolony biofilms of commensal and pathogenic E. coli as a model system, we demonstrate here that the green tea polyphenol epigallocatachin gallate (EGCG) is a potent antibiofilm agent. EGCG virtually eliminates the biofilm matrix by directly interfering with the assembly of curli subunits into amyloid fibres, and by triggering the sigma(E) cell envelope stress response and thereby reducing the expression of CsgD - a crucial activator of curli and cellulose biosynthesis - due to csgD mRNA targeting by the sigma(E)-dependent sRNA RybB. These findings highlight EGCG as a potential adjuvant for antibiotic therapy of biofilm-associated infections. Moreover, EGCG may support therapies against pathogenic E. coli that produce inflammatory curli fibres along with Shigatoxin.
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