Author Correction: 7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis (Nature, (2024), 626, 7998, (401-410), 10.1038/s41586-023-06878-9) Florencio Porto Freitas, Hamed Alborzinia, Ancély Ferreira dos Santos, Palina Nepachalovich, Lohans Pedrera, Omkar Zilka, Alex Inague, Corinna Klein, Nesrine Aroua, Kamini Kaushal, Bettina Kast, Svenja M. Lorenz, Viktoria Kunz, Helene Nehring, Thamara N. Xavier da Silva, Zhiyi Chen, Sena Atici, Sebastian G. Doll, Emily L. Schaefer, Ifedapo Ekpo, Werner Schmitz, Aline Horling, Peter Imming, Sayuri Miyamoto, Ann M. Wehman, Thiago C. Genaro-Mattos, Karoly Mirnics, Lokender Kumar, Judith Klein-Seetharaman, Svenja Meierjohann, Isabel Weigand, Matthias Kroiss, Georg W. Bornkamm, Fernando Gomes, Luis Eduardo Soares Netto, Manjima B. Sathian, David B. Konrad, Douglas F. Covey, Bernhard Michalke, Kurt Bommert, Ralf C. Bargou, Ana Garcia-Saez, Derek A. Pratt, Maria Fedorova, Andreas Trumpp, Marcus Conrad, José Pedro Friedmann Angeli Nature, 2026
Biofilm-associated Escherichia coli infections: pathogenesis, clinical implications, and treatment strategies Damini Thakur, Lokender Kumar Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 2026 Biofilm formation is a complex process in which bacteria adhere to surfaces and create a protective matrix. Biofilms shield bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, from antibiotics and the host immune system, greatly facilitating their pathogenesis by enabling immune evasion and antimicrobial resistance. This review examines the stages of E. coli biofilm formation and their role in infections across various body sites, including the central nervous system, eyes, ears, teeth, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and medical device-related infections. Each infection site is thoroughly analyzed in terms of clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, treatment resistance, and implications for patient management. Furthermore, this review discusses therapeutic advancements, which are crucial for combating biofilm-associated infections. By unraveling the complexities of biofilms and developing novel therapeutics, researchers and clinicians can enhance strategies for diagnosing, treating, and preventing persistent E. coli infections.
A dual-action strategy of propenyl guaethol: pilY-mediated biofilm inhibition and augmenting aminoglycoside antibiofilm activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa through in vitro and in silico studies Namita Srivastava, Smriti Deka, Lokender Kumar Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 2026 Flavoring compounds are natural or synthetic substances that enhance the food flavor. Research studies have demonstrated that flavoring compounds may have biological activities. In food industry, P. aeruginosa dominates spoilage and contamination of food products. Human exposure to P. aeruginosa may lead to serious infections. P. aeruginosa forms complex biofilms with extracellular slime matrix, providing protection against antimicrobial agents. The present study investigates the role of a flavouring food additive, propenyl guaethol (PG) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Our results demonstrate a significant impact of PG on biofilm forming ability, bacterial attachment, and motility phenotypes. The polystyrene tube assay demonstrates notable inhibition of biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa at 50 and 25 µg/ml (p < 0.01). PG showed marked inhibition of biofilms in combination with gentamicin, kanamycin, and streptomycin. Additionally, PG inhibits twitching, swarming, and swimming motility of P. aeruginosa (p < 0.01). Scanning electron microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, and light microscopy showed thinner biofilms with low exopolysaccharide matrix (EPS) in the presence of PG. Moreover, the role of PG was also evaluated using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation to understand the interaction of PG with bacterial type-IV pili subunit, PilY1. PG showed favourable interactions and stable complex formation with type-IV pili subunit (PilY1). The present study highlights the antibiofilm properties of PG, suggesting its potential as a biofilm control flavoring compound.
Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and In Silico Study of N-(Pyrazin-2-yl)Alkyl/Aryl Amide Derivatives as Quorum Sensing Inhibitors Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Anand Yadav, Isha Mahindru, Namita Srivastava, Rajnish Kumar, Manish Jain, Lokender Kumar, Ashok Kumar Yadav Chemistry and Biodiversity, 2026 This research develops novel quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) that function as anti‐biofilm agents and reduce quorum sensing (QS) to effectively combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa . N ‐(Pyrazin‐2‐yl)alkyl/aryl amide derivatives ( 3a–k ) and ( 5a–j ) were designed and synthesized in this study. Further, QS inhibition activity of N ‐(pyrazin‐2‐yl)alkyl/aryl amide derivatives ( 3a–k ) and ( 5a–j ) was compared to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (5%) (2.33 ± 0.05), which was used as a reference for QSIs. The anti‐QS activity of N ‐(pyrazin‐2‐yl)alkyl/aryl amide derivatives 3b, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 5a, and 5g was found to be higher (zone of inhibition, 10 ± 0.33 to 15 ± 0.33). The binding affinity values between −9.17 and −6.21 kcal/mol were found to be moderate to good in subsequent molecular docking experiments. Furthermore, the stability of the protein and ligand complex of compounds 3f and 3g was better understood using molecular dynamics simulation. Utilizing the in silico approach, the physicochemical characteristics and binding strategy of these developed compounds were examined. Overall study findings indicated that N ‐(pyrazin‐2‐yl)alkyl/aryl amide derivatives ( 3a–k ) and ( 5a–j ) might be useful for the development of novel QSI.
Veratraldehyde Inhibits Motility Phenotypes and Targets Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Insights From Computational and Experimental Studies Monish Bisen, Lokender Kumar Chemistry and Biodiversity, 2025 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a versatile pathogen that poses significant challenges in healthcare and food industries due to its ability to form biofilms. The present study investigated the anti‐biofilm properties of a natural compound, veratraldehyde (VD) against P. aeruginosa biofilms. Although VD exhibited weak antibacterial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] > 512 µg/mL), it demonstrated potent motility inhibition at sub‐inhibitory concentrations, with the highest inhibition observed in swimming (78.13%), twitching (70.96%), and swarming (56.74%) across various strains. Tube assay showed highest inhibition on Day 1 (32.73%) and Day 3 (15.58%) across various strains with VD. Detailed microscopic analysis (light, florescence, and scanning electron microscopy) clearly show that veratraldehyde effectively inhibits biofilm formation in multiple P. aeruginosa strains. In silico molecular docking and dynamic simulation studies suggest that veratraldehyde may target the PilY protein, a component of Type‐IV pili involved in pilus biogenesis, potentially disrupting biofilm formation at a molecular level. In silico pharmacokinetic analysis such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) analysis indicates favorable properties (e.g., bioavailability, solubility, drug likeness, high gastrointestinal (GI) absorption, and skin permeability), making veratraldehyde a promising candidate for anti‐biofilm therapeutic development. These results highlight its potential as a natural alternative to conventional antibiotics in combating P. aeruginosa biofilm associated infections.
Enhanced Antibiofilm Activity of Copper Nanoparticles Stabilized With Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone and Polyvinyl Alcohol Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus Imzazul Rahaman, Namita Srivastava, Damini Thakur, Anshul Jamwal, Lokender Kumar Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B Applied Biomaterials, 2025 Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are biofilm‐forming pathogens that contribute to persistent infections and exhibit high resistance to conventional antibiotics. In the present study, copper nanoparticles (Cu‐NPs) were synthesized using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as polymeric stabilizing agents to evaluate their potential in biofilm inhibition. The synthesized Cu‐NPs were characterized by Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier‐Transform Infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), zeta potential, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE‐SEM), Energy‐Dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The average particle sizes of the two formulations were found to be ~114 nm (PVP‐Cu‐NP) and ~127 nm (PVA‐Cu‐NP). Both NPs have demonstrated strong biofilm inhibitory activity at sub‐minimum inhibitory concentrations (Sub‐MICs) up till Day 3. The inhibitory efficacy of PVP‐NP and PVA‐NP against P. aeruginosa biofilm was 59.4% and 73.10%, respectively. Whereas the inhibitory efficacy of the two formulations against S. aureus biofilm was found to be 78.94% by PVP‐NP and 88.94% by PVA‐NP. Additionally, the Sub‐MIC concentrations of PVP‐NP and PVA‐NP significantly reduced cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, thereby disrupting key components of biofilm architecture. These findings suggest that polymer‐stabilized copper nanoparticles may provide promising therapeutic strategies for the prevention and control of biofilm‐forming and antibiotic‐resistant disease‐causing pathogens.
Antibiotic resistance and development of alternative therapies Damini Thakur, Kaniska, Lokender Kumar Molecular Medicine and Biomedical Research in the Era of Precision Medicine New Technologies and Personalized Drug Therapies for Patient Care, 2025
7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis Florencio Porto Freitas, Hamed Alborzinia, Ancély Ferreira dos Santos, Palina Nepachalovich, Lohans Pedrera, Omkar Zilka, Alex Inague, Corinna Klein, Nesrine Aroua, Kamini Kaushal, Bettina Kast, Svenja M. Lorenz, Viktoria Kunz, Helene Nehring, Thamara N. Xavier da Silva, Zhiyi Chen, Sena Atici, Sebastian G. Doll, Emily L. Schaefer, Ifedapo Ekpo, Werner Schmitz, Aline Horling, Peter Imming, Sayuri Miyamoto, Ann M. Wehman, Thiago C. Genaro-Mattos, Karoly Mirnics, Lokender Kumar, Judith Klein-Seetharaman, Svenja Meierjohann, Isabel Weigand, Matthias Kroiss, Georg W. Bornkamm, Fernando Gomes, Luis Eduardo Soares Netto, Manjima B. Sathian, David B. Konrad, Douglas F. Covey, Bernhard Michalke, Kurt Bommert, Ralf C. Bargou, Ana Garcia-Saez, Derek A. Pratt, Maria Fedorova, Andreas Trumpp, Marcus Conrad, José Pedro Friedmann Angeli Nature, 2024
Hepatoprotective effect of zingerone [4-(4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl) butan-2-one] in lipopolysaccharide induced liver injury mouse model through downregulation of inflammatory mediators International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research, 2014
Development and validation of an RP-HPLC method for quantitative estimation of eslicarbazepine acetate in bulk drug and tablets Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2013
Optimization of growth conditions and purification of quorum sensing signal molecules produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences, 2013
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
4-(Aryl/alkylsulfonamido)-N-(Pyridin-2/3-yl) benzamide derivatives as quorum sensing inhibitors against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: experimental and in-silico studies V Tiwari, I Mahindru, D Thakur, R Kumar, L Kumar, AK Yadav Journal of Molecular Structure, 146278 , 2026 2026
7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis (vol 626, pages401, 2024) FP Freitas, H Alborzinia, AF Dos Santos, P Nepachalovich, L Pedrera, ... NATURE 652 (8109), E5-E5 , 2026 2026
Biofilm-associated Escherichia coli infections: pathogenesis, clinical implications, and treatment strategies D Thakur, L Kumar Critical Reviews in Microbiology 52 (1), 198-242 , 2026 2026 Citations: 9
A dual-action strategy of Propenyl guaethol: pilY-mediated biofilm Inhibition and augmenting aminoglycoside antibiofilm activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa through in vitro … N Srivastava, S Deka, L Kumar Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics 44 (1), 102-117 , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and In Silico Study of N‐(Pyrazin‐2‐yl) Alkyl/Aryl Amide Derivatives as Quorum Sensing Inhibitors Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa A Yadav, I Mahindru, N Srivastava, R Kumar, M Jain, L Kumar, AK Yadav Chemistry & Biodiversity 23 (1), e02287 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
LabImageXpert: imaging platform for mechanism-resolved detection of antimicrobial activity via β-galactosidase assay K Kharga, D Kumar, L Kumar Methods , 2025 2025
Veratraldehyde Inhibits Motility Phenotypes and Targets Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa : Insights From Computational and Experimental Studies M Bisen, L Kumar Chemistry & Biodiversity 22 (10), e00074 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Enhanced Antibiofilm Activity of Copper Nanoparticles Stabilized With Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone and Polyvinyl Alcohol Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus I Rahaman, N Srivastava, D Thakur, A Jamwal, L Kumar Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials 113 (8 … , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Design, synthesis, biological evaluation and in silico study of N-(Pyrimidin-2-yl) alkyl/arylamide derivatives as quorum sensing inhibitors against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Nikki, AJ Bhopale, K Kharga, N Yerramsetti, R Kumar, L Kumar, AK Yadav Molecular Diversity 29 (3), 2001-2016 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Decoding the functional interactome of non-model organisms with PHILHARMONIC S Sledzieski, C Versavel, R Singh, F Ocitti, K Devkota, L Kumar, ... International Conference on Research in Computational Molecular Biology, 268-272 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Role of Inflammatory Mediators in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Pathogenesis: Updates and Perspectives Pankush, K Bharti, R Pandey, N Srivastava, S Kashyap, D Kumar, ... Immuno 5 (2), 13 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Advancement in anaerobic ammonia oxidation technologies for industrial wastewater treatment and resource recovery: a comprehensive review and perspectives P Singh, M Bisen, S Kulshreshtha, L Kumar, SR Choudhury, MJ Nath, ... Bioengineering 12 (4), 330 , 2025 2025 Citations: 15
Citrus sinensis fruit Peel phytochemicals inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and suppress motility phenotypes by potentially targeting quorum sensing pathways L Kumar, P Patil, M Bisen, N Srivastava, D Thakur South African Journal of Botany 174, 152-166 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and In Silico Study of N‐(Pyridin‐2/3‐yl) alkanamide Derivatives as Quorum Sensing Inhibitors Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa U Jaiswal, AJ Bhopale, N Srivastava, N Yerramsetti, R Kumar, L Kumar, ... ChemistrySelect 9 (39), e202403129 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Exploring the potential of essential oils as anti-biofilm agents: a review on inhibition of Salmonella typhi biofilm formation A Kumar, A Lohia, S Haque, L Kumar, A Khan Journal of Essential Oil Research 36 (5), 426-440 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Anti-quorum sensing activity of α-amidoamides against Agrobacterium tumefaciensNT1: Insights from molecular docking and dynamic investigations to synergistic approach of … S Sebastian, Y Rohila, A Ansari, S Sengupta, D Kumar, N Srivastava, ... Microbial Pathogenesis 193, 106787 , 2024 2024 Citations: 12
Bacteriophages in nature: recent advances in research tools and diverse environmental and biotechnological applications M Bisen, K Kharga, S Mehta, N Jabi, L Kumar Environmental Science and Pollution Research 31 (15), 22199-22242 , 2024 2024 Citations: 20
7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis FP Freitas, H Alborzinia, AF Dos Santos, P Nepachalovich, L Pedrera, ... Nature 626 (7998), 401-410 , 2024 2024 Citations: 328
Insulin signaling and pharmacology in humans and in corals MHS Murthy, P Jasbi, W Lowe, L Kumar, M Olaosebikan, L Roger, J Yang, ... PeerJ 12, e16804 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Current developments and prospects of the antibiotic delivery systems K Kharga, S Jha, T Vishwakarma, L Kumar Critical Reviews in Microbiology 51 (1), 44-83 , 2024 2024 Citations: 14
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis FP Freitas, H Alborzinia, AF Dos Santos, P Nepachalovich, L Pedrera, ... Nature 626 (7998), 401-410 , 2024 2024 Citations: 328
Zingerone inhibit biofilm formation and improve antibiofilm efficacy of ciprofloxacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 L Kumar, S Chhibber, K Harjai Fitoterapia 90, 73-78 , 2013 2013 Citations: 215
Zingerone silences quorum sensing and attenuates virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa L Kumar, S Chhibber, R Kumar, M Kumar, K Harjai Fitoterapia 102, 84-95 , 2015 2015 Citations: 189
Advances in nanotechnology for biofilm inhibition L Kumar, M Bisen, K Harjai, S Chhibber, S Azizov, H Lalhlenmawia, ... ACS omega 8 (24), 21391-21409 , 2023 2023 Citations: 173
Molecular mechanisms and applications of N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing in bacteria L Kumar, SKS Patel, K Kharga, R Kumar, P Kumar, J Pandohee, ... Molecules 27 (21), 7584 , 2022 2022 Citations: 143
Revisiting the therapeutic potential of gingerols against different pharmacological activities S Sharma, MK Shukla, KC Sharma, Tirath, L Kumar, JMH Anal, ... Naunyn-schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology 396 (4), 633-647 , 2023 2023 Citations: 80
Combustion and stubble burning: a major concern for the environment and human health I Chanana, A Sharma, P Kumar, L Kumar, S Kulshreshtha, S Kumar, ... Fire 6 (2), 79 , 2023 2023 Citations: 67
Role of matrix metalloproteinases in musculoskeletal diseases L Kumar, M Bisen, A Khan, P Kumar, SKS Patel Biomedicines 10 (10), 2477 , 2022 2022 Citations: 56
Antimicrobial biopolymer formation from sodium alginate and algae extract using aminoglycosides L Kumar, J Brice, L Toberer, J Klein-Seetharaman, D Knauss, SK Sarkar PLoS One 14 (3), e0214411 , 2019 2019 Citations: 49
Recent advances in monoclonal antibody-based approaches in the management of bacterial sepsis K Kharga, L Kumar, SKS Patel Biomedicines 11 (3), 765 , 2023 2023 Citations: 47
Advancements in microalgal biorefinery technologies and their economic analysis and positioning in energy resource market I Chanana, P Kaur, L Kumar, P Kumar, S Kulshreshtha Fermentation 9 (3), 202 , 2023 2023 Citations: 41
Matrix metalloprotease-1 inhibits and disrupts Enterococcus faecalis biofilms L Kumar, CR Cox, SK Sarkar PloS one 14 (1), e0210218 , 2019 2019 Citations: 40
Cephalosporins Interfere With Quorum Sensing and Improve the Ability of Caenorhabditis elegans to Survive Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection L Kumar, N Brenner, J Brice, J Klein-Seetharaman, SK Sarkar Frontiers in Microbiology 12, 598498 , 2021 2021 Citations: 36
Applying model approaches in non-model systems: A review and case study on coral cell culture LM Roger, HG Reich, E Lawrence, S Li, W Vizgaudis, N Brenner, L Kumar, ... PLoS One 16 (4), e0248953 , 2021 2021 Citations: 31
Augmentation of virulence related traits of pqs mutants by Pseudomonas quinolone signal through membrane vesicles A Bala, L Kumar, S Chhibber, K Harjai Journal of basic microbiology 55 (5), 566-578 , 2015 2015 Citations: 31
Hepatoprotective effect of zingerone (4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) butan-2-one) in lipopolysaccharide induced liver injury mouse model through down regulation of inflammatory … L Kumar, S Chhibber, K Harjai International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research 6 (2), 308-314 , 2014 2014 Citations: 26
Therapeutic approaches in pancreatic cancer: recent updates L Kumar, S Kumar, K Sandeep, SKS Patel Biomedicines 11 (6), 1611 , 2023 2023 Citations: 25
Allosteric communications between domains modulate the activity of matrix metalloprotease-1 L Kumar, A Nash, C Harms, J Planas-Iglesias, D Wright, ... Biophysical journal 119 (2), 360-374 , 2020 2020 Citations: 25
Insighting the inhibitory potential of new diorganotin (IV) complexes derived from tridentate ligands: Synthesis, structural elucidation and biological evaluation N Kumar, S Asija, Y Deswal, D Kumar, DK Jindal, L Kumar, S Kumar, ... Inorganic Chemistry Communications 154, 110953 , 2023 2023 Citations: 23
Structural alterations in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by zingerone contribute to enhanced susceptibility to antibiotics, serum and phagocytes L Kumar, S Chhibber, K Harjai Life sciences 117 (1), 24-32 , 2014 2014 Citations: 23
