Potential Mechanisms of Quercetin Influence the ClfB Protein During Biofilm Formation of Staphylococcus aureus

This study aimed to establish the mode of binding between Quercetin (QEN) and an essential protein called ClfB in forming biofilm in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In this study, the raw data of GSE163153 were analyzed for quality control, alignment, and gene counts, and the differential analysis detected the key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) assisting in the formation of the S. aureus biofilm. Then, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) and gene function enrichment analyses of the target genes, identified a gene called clfB to be closely related to biofilm formation. ClfB was structurally characterized, molecularly docked, and kinetically simulated to unravel the mode of binding of QEN to ClfB. Meanwhile, the growth curve and transmission electron microscopy methods examined the effect of QEN on the S. aureus growth. Results indicated that the clfB gene was increasingly expressed during biofilm formation and was involved in cell adhesion, pathogenicity, and infection. We identified 5 amino acid sites of ClfB (D272, R331, I379, K391, E490) as potential sites for binding QEN, which would indirectly influence the changes in the functional sites N234, D270, Y273, F328, inhibiting the formation of biofilm. Meanwhile, 128 mu g/ml of QEN could significantly inhibit the S. aureus biofilm formation. This manuscript serves as a molecular foundation for QEN as an antibacterial drug providing a new perspective for developing antibacterial drugs.