Myco-nanocolloids manipulate growth, biofilm formation and virulence genes in UTI causing E. coli

Abstract

The existing antibiotics are incapable of killing resistant pathogens including E. coli. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) genes are found as one of the main causes of the resistance as it degrades the β- lactam ring of the antibiotics. This study aims at the green synthesis of silver nanocolloids from endophytic fungi Lasiodiplodia theobromae (LtNc’s), isolated from traditional medicinal plant Cinnamomum zeylanicum and biophysically characterized. Minimum susceptibility concentration, growth rate, Minimum Bactericidal Concentration and Biofilm inhibition assays were performed to evaluate the efficacy of LtNc’s against biofilm forming urinary tract infection (UTI) causing clinical strains of E. coli. The LtNc’s was found to be efficient antimicrobial agent which successfully controlled the growth and biofilm formation in E. coli. Inhibition of growth, biofilm formation, downregulation of CTX-M-15 and Amp C genes were observed when treated with LtNc’s in Urinary Tract infection (UTI) causing pathogens.

Keywords:

• Silver nanocolloids
• endophytic fungi
• ethnomedicine
• ESBL
• antimicrobial agent
• multi drug resistance
• urinary Tract infection

Acknowledgements

Ranjani S. is thankful to B.S. Abdur Rahman Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai for providing research facilities in school of life sciences. The authors gratefully acknowledge Department of Science and Technology (GoI), New Delhi supported National Facility for Drug Development for Academia, Pharmaceutical and Allied Industries (NFDD) (Ref No. VI- D&P/349/10-11/TDT/1 Dt: 21.10.2010).

Disclosure statement

Authors have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors also gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Technology (KIRAN Division) (GoI), New Delhi. (Ref No. DST/WOS-B/2018/1583-HFN (G)) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi for the Bioinformatics Infrastructural Facility (BIF – BTISNeT), Mizoram University.