Biofilm Formation and Quinolone Resistance Determinants in Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Babol, Northern Iran

Daneshmand, Mohsen; Kiani, Masoumeh; Zahedi, Mahlagha; Zare Banadkouki, Abbas; Tayefeh-Arbab, Mohammad Hossein; Pournajaf, Abazar

year 19, Issue 6 (November - December 2025) Iran J Med Microbiol 2025, 19(6): 377-387 | Back to browse issues page

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Daneshmand M, Kiani M, Zahedi M, Zare Banadkouki A, Tayefeh-Arbab M H, Pournajaf A. Biofilm Formation and Quinolone Resistance Determinants in Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Babol, Northern Iran. Iran J Med Microbiol 2025; 19 (6) :377-387
URL: http://ijmm.ir/article-1-2806-en.html

Biofilm Formation and Quinolone Resistance Determinants in Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Babol, Northern Iran

Mohsen Daneshmand¹

, Masoumeh Kiani²

, Mahlagha Zahedi³

, Abbas Zare Banadkouki⁴

, Mohammad Hossein Tayefeh-Arbab⁵

, Abazar Pournajaf⁶

1- Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
2- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
3- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
4- Department of Microbiology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran & Quality Control Department of Temad Mfg, Co., Tehran, Iran
5- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
6- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran , abazar_pournajaf@yahoo.com

Abstract: (475 Views)

Background and Aim: Klebsiella (K.) pneumoniae is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections, where biofilm formation and quinolone resistance complicate the treatment outcomes. This research was aimed to examine the biofilm formation occurrence, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants, and chromosomal alterations among clinical K. pneumoniae isolates.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional investigation, 120 unique K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained for evaluation. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and biofilm production examination were conducted through disk diffusion technique and microtiter plate method, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the agar dilution approach. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing were carried out to identify the resistance- and biofilm-related genes, along with mutations in the gyrA and parC genes. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0, and the association between biofilm formation and fluoroquinolones (FQ) resistance was evaluated by Fisher’s exact test.
Results: Bacteriocins from BSH1, BSH2, and BSH3 had molecular weights of 55.02 kDa, 51.15 kDa, and 50.12 kDa, respectively, classifying them as class III bacteriocins (>30 kDa). Amino acid analysis revealed the dominance of L-cystine (33–45%) and L-proline (9–20%), along with notable amounts of glutamic acid and leucine. These amino acids are essential for structural stability and antimicrobial activity.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that bacteriocins derived from cincalok not only broaden the understanding of bacteriocin diversity from local fermented foods but also demonstrate strong potential as natural antimicrobial agents for applications in food preservation and healthcare industries.

Keywords: Bacteriocins, Amino Acid Composition, Molecular Weight, Antimicrobial Peptides, Characterization

Full-Text [PDF 829 kb] (82 Downloads)

Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Medical Bacteriology
Received: 2025/08/2 | Accepted: 2025/10/20 | ePublished: 2025/12/29

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