Antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of Helix aspersa mucus towards multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria necessitates the exploration of novel antimicrobial agents. This study aims to investigate the antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of mucus from Helix aspersa, a species of terrestrial snail, against multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. The antibacterial effect was assessed using well diffusion, microdilution, and time kill assays. The antibiofilm effect was assessed using crystal violet staining. Protein profiling was conducted through SDS-PAGE Electrophosis to determine the molecular weights of the mucus proteins. The results show that Helix aspersa mucus has potent anibacterial properties with inhibitory diameters ranging from 18.67±1.53 to 25.16±1.04 mm, and MIC and MBC values ranging from 3.12 to 6.25 (v/v). The MBC/MIC values from 1 to 2 and the time kill curve demonstrated that Helix aspersa mucus has a bactericidal effect. It has also a significant antibiofilm effect as it could inhibit the formation of biofilms at percentages ranging from 88.46±0.96% to 94.93±1.48% and eliminate biofilm at percentages ranging from 79.69±1.36% to 91.38±1.80%. Protein profiling of the mucus revealed the presence of three distinct proteins with molecular weights of 29.0, 81.1, and 106.4 kDa, which are likely responsible for these bioactive properties. Helix aspersa mucus could serve as a promising natural antimicrobial agent, offering potential applications in treating infected wounds caused by multidrug resistant bacteria.