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Published on: April 25, 2025
Effect of manuka honey on the expression of universal stress protein A in meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Rowena Jenkins1, Neil Burton, Rose Cooper
1University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, Western Avenue, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UK. rojenkins@uwic.ac.uk
Abstract:
Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that can cause many problems, from impetigo to endocarditis. With its continued resistance to multiple antibiotics, S. aureus remains a serious health threat. Honey has been used to eradicate meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains from wounds, but its mode of action is not yet understood. Proteomics provides a potent group of techniques that can be used to analyse differences in protein expression between untreated bacterial cells and those treated with inhibitory concentrations of manuka honey. In this study, two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis was combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to determine the identities of proteins whose levels of expression were changed at least two-fold following treatment with manuka honey. Protein extracts were obtained from cells grown in tryptone soy broth (with or without manuka honey) by mechanical disruption and were separated on 2D polyacrylamide gels. A protein was isolated in gels prepared from untreated cell extract that was absent from gels made using honey-treated cell extract. Using MALDI-TOF MS, the protein was identified as universal stress protein A (UspA). Downregulation of this protein was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which showed a 16-fold downregulation in honey-treated cells compared with untreated samples. This protein is involved in the stress stamina response and its downregulation could help to explain the inhibition of MRSA by manuka honey.
Insights
Manuka honey inhibits methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by downregulating the universal stress protein A (UspA). This proteomic study reveals a key mechanism behind honey's antibacterial action against this dangerous pathogen.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Proteomics
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), poses a significant global health threat due to increasing antibiotic resistance.
- Manuka honey has demonstrated efficacy in eradicating MRSA from wounds, but its precise mechanism of action remains largely unknown.
- Understanding the molecular basis of honey's antibacterial activity is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protein expression changes in MRSA following treatment with manuka honey using proteomics.
- To identify specific proteins affected by manuka honey and elucidate their role in the inhibition of MRSA growth.
- To provide molecular insights into the antibacterial properties of manuka honey.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for protein analysis.
- Compared protein expression profiles of MRSA cells treated with inhibitory concentrations of manuka honey against untreated controls.
- Identified proteins with at least a two-fold change in expression levels post-treatment.
Main Results:
- A specific protein, identified as universal stress protein A (UspA), was found to be completely absent in manuka honey-treated MRSA cells compared to untreated cells.
- Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed a significant 16-fold downregulation of UspA expression in honey-treated MRSA.
- The downregulation of UspA, a protein involved in stress response, correlates with the observed inhibition of MRSA by manuka honey.
Conclusions:
- Manuka honey effectively downregulates the expression of universal stress protein A (UspA) in MRSA.
- The reduction in UspA levels likely contributes to the inhibition of MRSA by compromising its stress response capabilities.
- This study elucidates a key molecular mechanism underlying the antibacterial efficacy of manuka honey against MRSA.
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