Abstract
Ziziphus spina-christi L. (Sider) is a longstanding Arabian medicinal herb. The present study aimed to explore whether Ziziphus spina-christi leaves extract (ZSCLE) affects agr quorum sensing (QS) system and the phenotypic blood hemolytic activity regulated by this system in Staphylococcus aureus. The luciferase is encoded by plasmid pSB2035 in the reporter strain 8325–4, which is promoted by the agr P3 promoter. The result indicated that the total extract of (ZSCL) is effective against agr QS system in the reporter strain, where it reduces the lux gene expression up to 80.41% at a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL of total extract. Also, the hemolytic activity was reduced up to 98.9% by comparing with positive control by total extract. Successive extracts: hexane, diethyl ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol were performed. The result revealed that the diethyl ether fraction was the greatest one that inhibited the production of both agr locus and the phenotypic hemolysin protein of S. aureus. Accordingly, phytochemical analysis in this total extract was performed and showed a high number of flavonoids and other compounds. FT-IR analysis of the most active fraction showed Monoelaidin as the main component of this fraction.
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Acknowledgements
This work was funded by the University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under Grant No. (UJ-21-ICI-7). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks the University of Jeddah technical and financial support.
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MYR was involved in methodology, data recording, writing the manuscript, AME helped in methodology, chemical data analysis, writing the review, data reviewing, MA-E contributed to conceptualization, methodology, writing the first draft, data reviewing, SE helped in conceptualization, data reviewing, JN contributed to data reviewing, consultant.
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Refai, M.Y., Elazzazy, A.M., Abu-Elghait, M. et al. Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Willd. Leaves Extract Affecting agr Quorum Sensing System in Staphylococcus aureus. Arab J Sci Eng 49, 97–105 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-08404-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-08404-5