Urolithins, ellagitannin metabolites produced by colon microbiota, inhibit Quorum Sensing in Yersinia enterocolitica: Phenotypic response and associated molecular changes
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Abstract
The mammalian enteropathogen Yersinia enterocolitica produces two main N-acylhomoserine
lactones (AHLs) involved in Quorum Sensing (QS)-mediated infection processes, such
as virulence, biofilm maturation and motility. Ellagitannin (ET)-rich fruits exhibit
anti-QS activity but in vivo effects against intestinal pathogens may be associated
to the ETs gut microbiota derived metabolites, urolithin-A (Uro-A) and urolithin-B
(Uro-B). In this work we show that urolithins, at concentrations achievable in the
intestine through the diet, reduce the levels of N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL)
and N-(3-oxo-hexanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL) in Y. enterocolitica and
inhibit QS-associated biofilm maturation and swimming motility. These inhibitory effects
were not associated to downregulation of the expression of some of the genes involved
in the synthesis of AHLs (yenI and yenR) or in motility (flhDC, fliA, fleB). Our results
suggest that urolithins may exert antipathogenic effects in the gut against Y. enterocolitica
and highlight the need to investigate the antipathogenic in vivo properties of plant
derived metabolites.