1.

Epigallocatechin gallate as a modulator of Campylobacter resistance to macrolide antibiotics

To improve clinical performance of licensed antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents, it is important to understand the factors in Campylobacter that affect susceptibility to macrolide antibiotics. We demonstrated that EGCG increase Campylobacter spp. susceptibilities and thus have effects on multidrug efflux systems that might improve the clinical performance of antibiotics. These findings provide an evaluation of a natural phenolic EGCG with modifying activities that can reverse macrolide resistance. Using mutants that lack the functional genes coding for the CmeB and CmeF efflux pump proteins and the CmeR transcriptional repressor, we show that these efflux pumps are potential targets for the development of therapeutic strategies that use a combination of a macrolide with an efflux pump inhibitor (EPI) to restore macrolide efficacy.

F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge

COBISS.SI-ID: 4119160

2.

New antimicrobials based on plant compounds and their antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, connected to pathogenesis related functions of Campylobacter spp.

We continue working with our cooperation groups from USA (Prof. Dr. Qijing Zhang, Iowa State University, ZDA), Austria (Prof. Dr. Franz Bučar, Karl Franzens Univrsity, Gradec, AU) and Croatia (Prof. Dr. Darinka Vučkovič, Prof. Dr. Maja Abram, Medical Faculty, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia). Past and future collaborations have also had relevance to the development of this scientific field. This will also be a springboard for joint proposed research projects in the food processing field.

F.02 Acquisition of new scientific knowledge