Undecanoic Acid, Lauric Acid, and N-Tridecanoic Acid Inhibit Escherichia coli Persistence and Biofilm Formation

Abstract

Persister cell formation and biofilms of pathogens are extensively involved in the development of chronic infectious diseases. Eradicating persister cells is challenging, owing to their tolerance to conventional antibiotics, which cannot kill cells in a metabolically dormant state. A high frequency of persisters in biofilms makes inactivating biofilm cells more difficult, because the biofilm matrix inhibits antibiotic penetration. Fatty acids may be promising candidates as antipersister or antibiofilm agents, because some fatty acids exhibit antimicrobial effects. We previously reported that fatty acid ethyl esters effectively inhibit Escherichia coli persister formation by regulating an antitoxin. In this study, we screened a fatty acid library consisting of 65 different fatty acid molecules for altered persister formation. We found that undecanoic acid, lauric acid, and N-tridecanoic acid inhibited E. coli BW25113 persister cell formation by 25-, 58-, and 44-fold, respectively. Similarly, these fatty acids repressed persisters of enterohemorrhagic E. coli EDL933. These fatty acids were all medium-chain saturated forms. Furthermore, the fatty acids repressed Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) biofilm formation (for example, by 8-fold for lauric acid) without having antimicrobial activity. This study demonstrates that medium-chain saturated fatty acids can serve as antipersister and antibiofilm agents that may be applied to treat bacterial infections.

Volatiles Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of Areca Nut Extracts Obtained by Simultaneous Distillation–Extraction and Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction

“…The SHDE extract also showed a relatively rich proportion of various fatty acids, of which the most significant content was found in the case of tridecanoic acid and pentadecanoic acid (see Table 3). Previous studies have confirmed the antimicrobial effects of these fatty acids against various microorganisms [38][39][40]. It can also be assumed that the overall antimicrobial effect of the areca nut extract is significantly affected by the fatty acid content.…”

Lauric Acid Is a Potent Biological Control Agent That Damages the Cell Membrane of Phytophthora sojae

“…Glycerol monolaurate has a potent antimicrobial activity, and LA has the ability to convert into GML, which can destroy the lipid membrane of bacteria ( Jin et al, 2021 ). The high levels of activity of capric and lauric acids, and particularly that of monocaprin, are notable and suggest that these lipids have specific antichlamydial activities ( Bergsson et al, 1998 ).…”

Dynamic changes in intestinal microbiota and metabolite composition of pre-weaned beef calves

“…MCFAs are important substrates in mammalian energy metabolism and synthesis, and can also improve immune and in ammatory responses in intestinal cell lines [70,71]. For example, lauric acid inhibits a variety of pathogens, including E. coli, can signi cantly reduce in ammatory responses, and improves serum levels of in ammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10 [72,73]. When the intestinal ora is in a healthy state, the body maintains an environment suitable for nutrient metabolite absorption.…”