Epinephrine extensively changes the biofilm matrix composition in Micrococcus luteus C01 isolated from human skin

Abstract

The importance of the impact of human hormones on commensal microbiota and microbial biofilms is established in lots of studies. In the present investigation, we continued and extended the research of epinephrine effects on the skin commensal Micrococcus luteus C01 and its biofilms, and also the matrix changes during the biofilm growth. Epinephrine in concentration 4.9 × 10–9 M which is close to normal blood plasma level increased the amount of polysaccharides and extracellular DNA in the matrix, changed extensively its protein, lipid and polysaccharide composition. The Ef-Tu factor was one of the most abundant proteins in the matrix and its amount increased in the presence of the hormone. One of the glucose-mannose polysaccharide was absent in the matrix in presence of epinephrine after 24 h of incubation. The matrix phospholipids were also eradicated by the addition of the hormone. Hence, epinephrine has a great impact on the M. luteus biofilms and their matrix composition, and this fact opens wide perspectives for the future research.

Epinephrine Affects Ribosomes, Cell Division, and Catabolic Processes in Micrococcus luteus Skin Strain C01: Revelation of the Conditionally Extensive Hormone Effect Using Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry and Proteomic Analysis

“…Strains and conditions. Micrococcus luteus C01 strain [ 5 , 23 ] was isolated from the skin of a healthy volunteer [ 24 ]. The bacterium was stored as previously described [ 5 , 22 ].…”

“…Planktonic cultures were obtained in 250 mL conical flasks filled with 100 mL of reinforced clostridial medium (RCM) prepared as previously described (Danilova et al, 2020 [ 22 ]). Briefly, 1.5 mL of prepared M. luteus culture (OD 540 = 0.5) was added into medium containing 4.9 nM epinephrine (a concentration close to the physiological blood plasma level and used in previous studies (Gannesen et al, 2021 [ 5 ]; Gannesen et al, 2022 [ 23 ]). The control flasks lacked additions.…”

“…Biofilms were obtained in the same way as described elsewhere [ 23 ]. Briefly, 20 mL aliquots of the 1.5% RCM agar with or without 4.9 nM epinephrine were administered into 100 mm Petri dishes, cellulose filters were then placed onto the agar, and 0.5 mL of prepared micrococci culture was distributed over the filter surface.…”

“…In addition, recent works have shown that this bacterium is sensitive to epinephrine, and this hormone mostly affects the biofilms of M. luteus rather than its planktonic cultures [ 5 , 22 ]. Seven genes were found to be altered in their expression level; however, the proteomic analysis of the M. luteus C01 matrix showed dozens of proteins whose concentrations changed in the presence of epinephrine [ 5 , 23 ]. Hence, the effect of the hormone on M. luteus seems to be complex and potentially involves some regulatory pathways, as was shown for the Enterobacteriaceae family.…”

C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Acts as a Microorganism-Activated Regulator of the Skin Commensals Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes in Dual-Species Biofilms

“…In previous decades, a novel area of study has started to develop in microbiology—microbial endocrinology [ 6 ]. Human humoral factors such as hormones could now be considered regulators of microbial metabolism and behavior [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. However, too little is known about the mechanisms of such interkingdom interactions.…”