Antibacterial activity of violacein to Staphylococcus aureus and pharmacocynetic studies

• Grant number: 12/20116-0
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2013 - July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal researcher: Marcelo Brocchi
• Grantee: Marcelo Brocchi
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Preliminar results of our group indicated inhibition activity of violacein to Staphylococcus aureus (including Methicillin resistant-MRSA strains), an important bacterial pathogen to humans and other annimals. Continuing these analyses, the ain of this project is to evaluate the biological activity of violacein to S. aureus exhibiting intermediate vancomycin resistance (VISA and hetero-VISA strains) and also to Enterococcus faecalis strains. The antimicrobial activity will be evaluated in vitro by determination of the minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentration (MIC and MBC) and also by time-kill curves. The cell structures modifications induced by violacein will be evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after treatment of cells with violacein. Genes and proteins induced or repressed by violacein will be evaluated in S. aureus MRSA strains by transcriptome (RNA-Seq) and high-throughput proteomic analyses in an attempt to detect the target(s) of violacein involved with the inhibitory activity. The pharmacokinetic properties of violacein and its plasmatic concentration will be evaluated in a mouse model. This project is part of the PhD Thesis of Bruna de Araujo Lima, FAPESP Fellowship (FAPESP 2009/02446-0). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CAUZ, ANA C. G.; CARRETERO, GUSTAVO P. B.; SARAIVA, GREICE K. V.; PARK, PETER; MORTARA, LAURA; CUCCOVIA, IOLANDA M.; BROCCHI, MARCELO; GUEIROS-FILHO, FREDERICO J. Violacein Targets the Cytoplasmic Membrane of Bacteria. ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v. 5, n. 4, p. 539-549, APR 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.