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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2005, p. 4022-4034, Vol. 71, No. 7
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.7.4022-4034.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Differential Gene Expression for Investigation of Escherichia coli Biofilm Inhibition by Plant Extract Ursolic Acid

Dacheng Ren,1,{dagger} Rongjun Zuo,1,{dagger} Andrés F. González Barrios,1 Laura A. Bedzyk,2 Gary R. Eldridge,3 Mark E. Pasmore,4 and Thomas K. Wood1*

Departments of Chemical Engineering and Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 191 Auditorium Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269,1 Experimental Station E328/B33, DuPont Central Research and Development, Wilmington, Delaware 19880,2 Sequoia Sciences, 11199 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite H, San Diego, California 92121,3 Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, 366 EPS Building, Bozeman, Montana 597174

Received 13 September 2004/ Accepted 31 January 2005

After 13,000 samples of compounds purified from plants were screened, a new biofilm inhibitor, ursolic acid, has been discovered and identified. Using both 96-well microtiter plates and a continuous flow chamber with COMSTAT analysis, 10 µg of ursolic acid/ml inhibited Escherichia coli biofilm formation 6- to 20-fold when added upon inoculation and when added to a 24-h biofilm; however, ursolic acid was not toxic to E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio harveyi, and hepatocytes. Similarly, 10 µg of ursolic acid/ml inhibited biofilm formation by >87% for P. aeruginosa in both complex and minimal medium and by 57% for V. harveyi in minimal medium. To investigate the mechanism of this nontoxic inhibition on a global genetic basis, DNA microarrays were used to study the gene expression profiles of E. coli K-12 grown with or without ursolic acid. Ursolic acid at 10 and 30 µg/ml induced significantly (P < 0.05) 32 and 61 genes, respectively, and 19 genes were consistently induced. The consistently induced genes have functions for chemotaxis and mobility (cheA, tap, tar, and motAB), heat shock response (hslSTV and mopAB), and unknown functions (such as b1566 and yrfHI). There were 31 and 17 genes repressed by 10 and 30 µg of ursolic acid/ml, respectively, and 12 genes were consistently repressed that have functions in cysteine synthesis (cysK) and sulfur metabolism (cysD), as well as unknown functions (such as hdeAB and yhaDFG). Ursolic acid inhibited biofilms without interfering with quorum sensing, as shown with the V. harveyi AI-1 and AI-2 reporter systems. As predicted by the differential gene expression, deleting motAB counteracts ursolic acid inhibition (the paralyzed cells no longer become too motile). Based on the differential gene expression, it was also discovered that sulfur metabolism (through cysB) affects biofilm formation (in the absence of ursolic acid).

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Departments of Chemical Engineering and Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 191 Auditorium Rd., Storrs, CT 06269-3222. Phone: (860) 486-2483. Fax: (860) 486-2959. E-mail: twood{at}engr.uconn.edu.

{dagger} D.R. and R.Z. contributed equally to this study.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2005, p. 4022-4034, Vol. 71, No. 7
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.7.4022-4034.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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