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Published on: January 1, 2016

Pulcherriminic acid as an antibiofilm effector: expanding Bacillus functionality against yeast biofilms

Ramya Srinivasan1, Tamil Selvam Saravanan1, Soham Utpat1

  • 1Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India.

Journal of Bacteriology
|August 6, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Pulcherriminic acid, produced by Bacillus subtilis, combats antibiotic-resistant biofilms by chelating iron. This natural compound offers a sustainable strategy against persistent infections and other microbial challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Antimicrobial Research

Background:

  • Persistent biofilms pose significant challenges in medicine and industry due to their resistance to antibiotics.
  • Pathogenic biofilms contribute to chronic infections and treatment failures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review pulcherriminic acid as a natural weapon against persistent biofilms.
  • To explore its biosynthesis, mechanism of action, and potential applications.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on pulcherriminic acid.
  • Discussion of metabolic engineering strategies for enhanced production.
  • Analysis of its iron-chelating properties and impact on fungal growth.

Main Results:

  • Pulcherriminic acid effectively targets iron acquisition in fungi like Candida albicans.
  • Metabolic engineering shows promise for increasing pulcherriminic acid yield.
  • The compound demonstrates potential in various applications beyond infection control.

Conclusions:

  • Pulcherriminic acid is a potent, naturally derived molecule for combating biofilms.
  • Harnessing this Bacillus subtilis metabolite offers sustainable solutions for antibiotic resistance and biofilm-related issues.
Keywords:
B. subtilisBiofilm dependent modulationC. albicansantagonisticBacillusantibiofilm agentsbiofilm formationpulcherriminic acid

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