Evaluating the effect of ZnO NPs synthesized by ginger (Zingiber officinale) on Escherichia coli biofilm gene using real-time PCR

Biofilm formation in microorganisms is one of the most aspects of the food industry, which can be a source of food spoilage and foodborne illness. This study assessed the inhibition activity of green synthesis zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) inferred from an extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on the biofilm formation gene of Escherichia coli isolated in chicken meat and the expression level of the YjaA gene. The characteristic of the prepared NPs was confirmed by a UV-Visible spectrophotometer, which showed maximum absorption peaks at 370nm. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were used to identify the phytosynthesis purity and morphological properties of NPs. Three isolates of E. coli were isolated from clinical samples and formed a strong biofilm in Congo red media. Then, they were subjected to different concentrations of ZnONPs (0.5, 1, and 1.5mg/ml) to determine the effect of ZnO NPs on YjaA gene expression. A two-step (RTqPCR) analysis was used and the results revealed a significant inhibitory effect on gene expression (P 0.05). The mean of gene folding decreased from 1±00 in control to 0.192±0.006 and 0.132±0.006 for 1 and 1.5mg/ml, respectively.