International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation最新文献

{"title":"Temporal metabarcoding of a lignocellulolytic bacterial consortium unveils compositional, structural, and potential functional adaptations","authors":"Lucas Amoroso Lopes de Carvalho ,&nbsp;Anna Carolina de Oliveira Souza ,&nbsp;Camila Cesário Fernandes ,&nbsp;Eliana Gertrudes de Macedo Lemos ,&nbsp;Lúcia Maria Carareto Alves ,&nbsp;Daniel Guariz Pinheiro","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lignocellulosic biomass is a key resource for sustainable energy, but its complex structure poses challenges for degradation. Microbial consortia offer a robust solution due to their collective metabolic capabilities; however, understanding their adaptation over time is crucial for optimizing industrial processes. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of a soil-derived bacterial consortium during early (2-week) and late (20-week) stages of exposure to a lignocellulosic substrate. Using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, we compared community composition, diversity, and predicted functional profiles across degradation time points (days 0, 5, and 10). Results revealed significant taxonomic shifts, with adaptive stage and degradation day explaining approximately 70 % of community variance (PCoA). Although both stages began with similar ASV richness (early: 287.33 ± 15.01; late: 286.67 ± 37.29), the early stage was characterized by the dominance of a few taxa, whereas the late stage presented greater evenness and a more balanced functional profile. This compositional reorganization occurred alongside a broadly conserved predicted functional potential, with over 96 % of predicted KEGG Orthologs (KOs) shared between stages, suggesting functional redundancy. Despite this conservation, 2215 KOs were differentially abundant, primarily within carbohydrate, amino acid, and xenobiotic metabolism pathways, with nearly 65 % becoming more abundant in the late stage. Our findings demonstrate that while taxonomic composition evolves, the predicted functional potential remains relatively stable, a key trait for developing resilient biotechnological applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106266"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biofilm-mediated mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions in anammox-based wastewater treatment","authors":"Zhiman Lin ,&nbsp;Jinfan Zhang ,&nbsp;Ru Wang ,&nbsp;Jingmin Ou ,&nbsp;He Zhang ,&nbsp;Zihua Wang ,&nbsp;Fangyuan Zheng ,&nbsp;Xiantao Sun ,&nbsp;Xin Wei ,&nbsp;Yiming Huang ,&nbsp;Zhenguo Chen ,&nbsp;Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht ,&nbsp;Yuchun Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater treatment is a major source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, largely driven by nitrous oxide (N₂O) release during nitrogen removal processes. While anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria have become widely adopted to optimize nitrogen removal, the pathways governing N₂O emissions in anammox systems remain insufficiently characterized. Findings revealed that in aerobic environments with low dissolved oxygen, nitrifying microorganisms showed pronounced upregulation of N₂O synthesis genes, confirming their pivotal role in emissions. Conversely, heterotrophic denitrification dominated N₂O production in anaerobic systems. Crucially, anammox-dominated biofilms displayed substantially lower expression of N₂O-related genes compared to suspended sludge, suggesting reduced emission risks in biofilm configurations. Batch experiments demonstrated a 2.78-fold lower N₂O release from biofilms than suspended biomass. This mitigation was linked to restricted substrate transport within biofilms, which curbed NO₂⁻ buildup and subsequently suppressed nitrifier-derived N₂O formation. Additionally, the high-density colonization of anammox bacteria in biofilms efficient scavenging of nitric oxide (NO) and hydroxylamine (NH₂OH), critical intermediates in N₂O synthesis. Employing an integrated multi-omics approach, this study investigates N₂O production and consumption pathways in diverse anammox systems and unveils the N₂O mitigation mechanisms of biofilms, offering fundamental insights for reducing N₂O emissions in wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106274"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resolving the mummification enigma of Baroness Zsófia Serédy-Andrássy (1663–1710?) entombed in Krásna Hôrka Castle, Slovakia","authors":"Monika Huraiová ,&nbsp;Stanislava Milovská ,&nbsp;Adrián Biroň ,&nbsp;Rastislav Milovský ,&nbsp;Vratislav Hurai ,&nbsp;Hana Vojtková ,&nbsp;Michaela Dörnhöferová ,&nbsp;Silvia Bodoriková","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microbiological investigations of skin, hair, and intra-corporeal tissue of the mummified body of Zsófia Serédy-Andrássy, who had been laid to rest in a glass coffin in the Krásna Hôrka Castle in southeastern Slovakia, revealed necrobiome dominated by the phylum <em>Firmicutes</em> followed by representatives of the phyla <em>Actinobacteria</em> and <em>Proteobacteria</em>. Optically visible bright-to-yellow mineral precipitates on the skin and organs are dominated by potassium sulphate (the mineral arcanite), with a minor admixture of chlorides (probably halite). Only a very rare calcium carbonate has been identified on the hair surface. The high concentrations of potassium in both tissue and hair, together with the ³⁴S-rich isotope compositions of keratin sulphur (δ³⁴S = 11.6–11.7‰ CDT) and skin leachate (δ³⁴S = 7.1–8.5‰ CDT), suggest either the excessive use of K₂SO₄ during medical treatment or intentional embalming – the first such documented case in Europe for the period. Biogenic microbial or fungal origin of essentially pure K₂SO₄ is highly unlikely. The high residual levels of non-excreted salts, combined with the dry microclimatic environment of church crypt, resulted in the body mummification and crystallization of potassium sulphate on the skin surface and internal organs. The commonly accepted conjecture regarding the natural mummification of Zsófia's corpse, which is believed to be caused by calcium hydrogen carbonate or calcium bicarbonate-rich drip water and subsequent desiccation, should be rejected.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106256"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anaerobic mono and co-digestion of cosmetic sewage sludge and organic fraction of municipal solid waste: Methane yield and kinetic modeling","authors":"Carlos Esteven Pulgarín-Muñoz ,&nbsp;Julio César Saldarriaga-Molina ,&nbsp;José Francisco Molina-Pérez ,&nbsp;Daniela Gonzalez-Pantoja ,&nbsp;Lina María Goez-Gaviria","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing production of sewage sludge from the cosmetic industry, driven by the sector's continuous growth, has created a pressing need for sustainable treatment and valorization alternatives. These sludges are often complex and challenging to treat due to their physicochemical composition and potential environmental risks. This study evaluates the methane production potential of anaerobic mono-digestion (AMoD) and anaerobic co-digestion (ACoD) of cosmetic industry sewage sludge (CSS) with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). Four experimental configurations were established with CSS:OFMSW substrate ratios of 100/0, 70/30, 50/50, and 30/70. The results show that increasing the proportion of OFMSW significantly enhances methane production, with the highest yield observed at the 30:70 ratio. The synergistic effect of ACoD was assessed using the Co-Digestion Performance Index (CPI), which indicated a synergistic interaction when the OFMSW proportion exceeded 50 %. Six kinetic models were applied, among which the Modified Gompertz model best described AMoD and ACoD at 70:30 and 50:50 ratios, while the Cone model more accurately represented the system at the 30:70 ratio. This study demonstrates the feasibility of treating CSS through anaerobic digestion and highlights that co-digestion with OFMSW can optimize biogas production, promote sustainable waste management, and enable the valorization of both industrial and municipal organic residues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106268"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wood deterioration assessment and microbial community analysis of foundation piles experimentally installed for 8 and 10 years","authors":"Sitompul Afrida ,&nbsp;Ikuo Momohara ,&nbsp;Yuka Miyoshi ,&nbsp;Takumi Murata ,&nbsp;Atsunori Numata ,&nbsp;Sakae Horisawa","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106269","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Buried timber piles play a critical role in ground improvement, yet their long-term deterioration under waterlogged and anaerobic conditions remains insufficiently understood. This study investigated microbial communities and wood degradation in Japanese cedar (<em>Cryptomeria japonica</em>) and Japanese larch (<em>Larix kaempferi</em>) logs used for ground improvement, a geotechnical method that stabilizes soft or liquefiable soils. The logs were buried for 8–10 years at two sites with differing soil compositions and groundwater conditions. Bacterial communities were analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). In cedar, bacterial infiltration extended from the outermost sapwood to the inner sapwood and into the heartwood, likely due to its lower density and higher water permeability. In contrast, bacterial colonization in larch was confined primarily to the outermost sapwood, likely reflecting its higher density and lower permeability. Microscopic analysis revealed erosion of parenchyma cell walls in cedar and slight deterioration of tracheid cell walls in larch, but no apparent reduction in wood density was observed. Dominant bacterial taxa included the anaerobic classes <em>Clostridia</em> and <em>Limnochordia</em> in cedar, and <em>Clostridia</em> and <em>Negativicutes</em> in larch. Facultative anaerobes dominated the surrounding soil, particularly members of the order <em>Chitinophagales</em>. These findings suggest that initial bacterial colonization of the logs was influenced by the soil microbiota and subsequently shaped by their internal environmental conditions. Although fungal communities were identified by ITS amplicon analysis and microscopic observation of cell walls, no apparent signs of fungal degradation were observed. Overall, the results underscore the importance of wood density and permeability in microbial resistance, with larch exhibiting greater durability under anaerobic soil conditions. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the long-term stability of buried wood in geotechnical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106269"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biodeterioration of a polyurethane topcoat by Aspergillus niger","authors":"Clotilde Maestri ,&nbsp;Alexis Duthoit ,&nbsp;Ronan L. Hébert ,&nbsp;Laure Bredif ,&nbsp;Patrick Di Martino","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the biodeterioration potential of the polyurethane waterproofing coating PU 636 by <em>Aspergillus niger</em> ERAN01 under <em>in vitro</em> conditions. Two protocols, adapted from the ISO 846 standard, were employed using agar media with different nutrient contents. After 9 weeks of incubation at 27 °C and 80 % relative humidity, macroscopic, microscopic, mechanical, and spectroscopic analyses were conducted to assess biodeterioration. Fungal colonization was more extensive in the presence of glucose, which correlated with visible colour changes (notably yellowing), a statistically significant increase in surface roughness, the formation of surface cavities observed via scanning electron microscopy, and chemical modifications detected through infrared spectroscopy. Signs of hydrolysis of ester and urethane bonds, as well as oxidation of ether linkages were observed. Despite these changes, tensile strength measurements showed no significant degradation of the material's mechanical integrity. The results suggest that <em>A. niger</em> produces hydrolases and metabolites capable of inducing greater physical and chemical deterioration of polyurethane coating in the presence of glucose. This study emphasizes the importance of environmental conditions, particularly nutrient availability, in influencing fungal biodeterioration of polymeric materials and supports the need for adapted methodologies when evaluating the biodeterioration of polyurethane waterproofing coatings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106257"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Screening and identification of a heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying strain Priestia megaterium S1A: Analysis of nitrogen removal pathway based on whole-genome sequencing","authors":"Yanyan Du ,&nbsp;Pan Luo ,&nbsp;Yingchun Lu ,&nbsp;Yuqin Liu ,&nbsp;Bo Xu ,&nbsp;Guihong Lan ,&nbsp;Haiyan Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HNAD) characteristics of <em>Priestia megaterium</em> S1A, a Gram-positive bacterium isolated from environmental samples. The strain was obtained from lake water and its surrounding environment (30°49′36″N, 104°11′6″E, Mengxi Lake, SWPU, Chengdu, China) and demonstrated significant removal capabilities for NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, and NO₂⁻-N. Through single-factor optimization experiments, the strain exhibited efficient removal of NH₄⁺-N and NO₃⁻-N under aerobic conditions, achieving removal efficiencies of 89.75 % and 98.47 % within 12 h, respectively. Enzyme activity assays confirmed the presence of hydroxylamine oxidase (HAO, 0.00218 U/mg protein), nitrate reductase (NAP, 0.0123 U/mg protein), and nitrite reductase (NIR, 0.0123 U/mg protein) in the strain. Whole-genome analysis (genome length: 5,755,804 bp; average GC content: 37.6 %) identified 18 nitrogen metabolism-associated genes (e.g., <em>narK</em>, <em>nirBD</em>, <em>nos</em>). This analysis revealed that the strain exhibits synergistic nitrogen removal capabilities through two distinct pathways: the assimilatory pathway (NO₃⁻ → NO₂⁻ → NH₄⁺ → L-glutamine → L-glutamate) and the HNAD pathway (NH₄⁺ → NH₂OH → NO₃⁻ → NO₂⁻ → NO → N₂O → N₂).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106254"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons removal: emerging challenges and innovative solutions","authors":"Ahmet Yazıcıoğlu,&nbsp;Sławomir Ciesielski","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are still important pollutants in environmental health due to intensive anthropogenic activities and natural disasters. Since PAHs are found in mixed forms with other pollutants in real environment, the search for effective and sustainable PAHs removal methods has become a hot issue in this field. The use of biosurfactants in PAHs biodegradation plays a critical role by decreasing surface tension and increasing bioavailability. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and functional relationships between biosurfactants and PAHs are still poorly understood. This review addresses this significant knowledge gap and systematically examines the current strategies to enhance bioprocess efficiency. We propose an innovative synergy between mechanistic biosurfactant research and predictive machine learning approaches. Particularly, we emphasize the application of large language models (LLMs) in clarifying complicated biosurfactant-PAHs interactions. Through the integration of experimental data with LLM-based interaction modeling, we present a forward-looking perspective on how these technologies can accelerate rational biosurfactant design and optimize remediation strategies. We also bring to the environmental engineering community's attention the essential need for curated datasets, benchmarks, and custom models for the successful integration of this technology into bioremediation applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106271"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing the driving mechanism of efficient microbial degradation of aromatic compounds with phenol as co-substrate from gene transcription level","authors":"Xingshe Liu ,&nbsp;Qianfeng Yin ,&nbsp;Lanxiang Zheng ,&nbsp;Haobo He ,&nbsp;Xinyun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The excessive content of aromatic compounds was a key factor restricting the difficult discharge of various industrial wastewater. In this study, the microbial enhanced degradation characteristics of aromatic compounds were investigated with naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were selected as representative, and phenol as co-substrate. Furthermore, the driving mechanisms of microbial-enhanced degradation of aromatic compounds were revealed from the perspectives of enzyme activity and gene transcription levels. The results indicated that the initiation degradation times for naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were advanced by 4, 6 and 6 h, respectively, with phenol as co-substrate. Correspondingly, the metabolic rates increased by 56.63 %, 46.24 %, and 35.38 %, respectively. Further mechanism analysis showed that the initial dioxygenase NDO (Key enzymes catalyzing the preliminary oxidation of aromatic rings) activity increased by 1.25–1.89 fold and was expressed 12 h earlier due to the co-substrate. The expression of genes <em>ubi</em>H and <em>ygi</em>D encoding the key enzymes 2-octenyl-6-methoxyphenol hydroxylase and 4,5-DOPA exodiol dioxygenase related to degradation initiation was upregulated by 2.25–4.45 fold and 3.04–4.04 fold, respectively. Additionally, the expression of genes encoding key enzymes associated with further ring-opening cleavage—namely <em>ald</em>B, <em>phd</em>I, <em>dmp</em>B, <em>cat</em>A, <em>pht</em>3, <em>pht</em>5, and <em>lig</em>A—was significantly upregulated, and the activities of C23O and C21O were markedly enhanced. Additionally, several genes related to carbohydrate, amino acid, and TCA cycle metabolism were found to be upregulated, effectively promoting the cooperation between various metabolic pathways and facilitating ATP synthesis, which provided more energy for microbial metabolism. Therefore, this study provided reliable theoretical basis for efficient degradation of aromatic compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106265"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quorum sensing inhibitory and anti-infective potential of piperonyl alcohol against Pseudomonas aeruginosa","authors":"Paramita Pakhira ,&nbsp;Paramanantham Parasuraman ,&nbsp;Sampathkumar Ranganathan ,&nbsp;Jung-Kul Lee ,&nbsp;Mahesh Ramatchandirane ,&nbsp;Kitlangki Suchiang ,&nbsp;Siddhardha Busi","doi":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106272","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibiod.2025.106272","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> is a notorious opportunistic pathogenic Gram-negative bacterium, and its virulence and persistence are mainly facilitated by quorum sensing (QS) and biofilm formation. Targeting these mechanisms presents a promising strategy to reduce pathogenicity without exerting selective pressure on bacterial survival. This study examined the anti-virulence potential of Piperonyl alcohol (PAL) against <em>P. aeruginosa</em> PAO1 using both experimental and computational approaches. Our findings revealed that PAL treatment notable decreased the production of key virulence factors, including pyocyanin (72.66 %), total protease (74.66 %), alginate (66.95 %), exopolysaccharides (79.14 %), pyoverdine (79.92 %), and pyochelin (68.28 %). Additionally, biofilm formation was reduced by 83.71 %, which was further validated through catheter-based biofilm assays and microscopic analyses. PAL also impaired swimming, swarming, and twitching motilities, indicating its interference in the initial biofilm formation. Gene expression profiling confirmed the downregulation of major QS regulators (<em>lasR</em>, <em>rhlR</em>, <em>pqsR</em>) and related virulence genes. <em>In silico</em> studies, revealed stable binding of PAL to LasR, RhlR, and PqsR as evidenced by favorable docking scores and corroborated by molecular dynamics simulations. Pharmacokinetic predictions indicated good oral bioavailability and intestinal absorption with no apparent toxicity. <em>In vivo</em> validation using infection models in <em>C. elegans</em> and <em>G. mellonella</em> demonstrated enhanced host survival and reduced pathogen burden. These findings position PAL as a potential QS and biofilm inhibitory agent, with substantial potential for therapeutic management of <em>P. aeruginosa</em> infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13643,"journal":{"name":"International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 106272"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}