Riboflavin as an anti-virulence agent against staphylococcus aureus

초록

In modern medicine, the discovery of antibiotics has been critical for the treatment of pathogenic infections. However, their overuse and misuse have led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, causing a global public health crisis with significant morbidity and mortality. Notably, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major opportunistic pathogen in hospital-acquired infections, highlighting the urgent need for new antimicrobial agents or vaccines. This study proposes a strategy for discovering novel anti-virulence agents by targeting SaeS, a key histidine kinase in the SaeRS two-component system in S. aureus, which plays a key role in regulating virulence factors. We applied in silico molecular docking predictions to screen potential SaeS inhibitors among natural small compounds based on their binding scores with SaeS. The selected candidate compounds were subsequently analyzed for their effects on bacterial growth and staphyloxanthin production, a major virulence regulon of the SaeRS system. Our results showed that riboflavin (vitamin B2) inhibited staphyloxanthin production depending on the presence of SaeS and its concentration. These results suggest that virtual screening of molecules can be an effective strategy for the discovery of new anti-virulence agents targeting bacterial infections. © 2024 Journal of Bacteriology and Virology.

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