Bolism were upregulated. Among of 29 genes encoding ABC-type amino acid transport system, 11 genes (37.9 ) were significantly up-regulated and no gene was significantly down-regulated. Besides, genes responsible for the anabolism of amino acid were up-regulated. For example, gene 05SSU0252 encoding glutamate dehydrogenase and gene 05SSU0791 encoding carbamoylphosphate synthase, were up-regulated more than two fold. However, genesresponsible for the catabolism of amino acid were down-regulated. For example, gene 05SSU1709 encoding cysteine aminopeptidase C and gene 05SSU0345 10457188 encoding amidotransferase were downregulated more than two fold. Taken together, we supposed that S.suis might be in the status of amino acid starvation and initiation of the replication was inhibited after treatment of licochalcone A. Division is initiated near the end of chromosome segregation by the formation of a cytokinetic ring at the nascent division site. The tubulin-like protein FtsZ serves as the foundation for assembly of this ring and is required for recruitment of the division machinery. After treated by licochalcone A, as shown in Table 2, S.suis cell division related genes encoded by 05SSU0417 (gpsB) and 05SSU0479 are significantly decreased expression two fold, and no gene was significantly up-regulated. Besides, among of 26 cell division related genes based on COG categories, 17 genes downregulated the expression, 6 genes up-regulated their expression (data not shown).DiscussionLicochalcone A is a retrochalcone isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza inflate. It is active against a wide range ofInhibition Effect of Licochalcone A on S.suisFigure 3. Effect of licochalcone A on suilysin secretion of S.suis strain 05ZYH33 determined by MedChemExpress 79831-76-8 hemolytic activity. A. Culture supernatants of S.suis 05ZYH33 treated by different concentration of licochalcone A were collected and tested the hemolytic activity as described by materials and methods. One hemolytic unit is defined as the reciprocal of the suilysin titre, which was calculated as the highest dilution of the supernatant which caused at least 50 hemolysis. B. The absorbance at 600 nm was recorded to determine the changes in growth and culture density. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0067728.gGram positive organisms but not against Gram negative bacteria and eukaryotes [24]. In this study, our results demonstrated that licochalcone A is active against S.suis with MICs of 4 mg/ml for S.suis serotype 2 strains and 8 mg/ml for S.suis serotype 7 strains. Besides, our results also demonstated that licochalcone A could change some properties of S.suis such as biofilm formation and suilysin secretion. Thus, licochalcone A might be a useful compound for the development of prevention and therapy agent for S.suis infection. Antimicrobial agents are often categorized according to their principal mechanism of action. Mechanisms Clavulanic acid potassium salt include interference with cell wall synthesis (e.g., b-lactams and glycopeptide agents), inhibition of protein synthesis (macrolides and tetracyclines), interference with nucleic acid synthesis (fluoroquinolones and rifampin), inhibition of a metabolic pathway (trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole), and disruption of bacterial membrane structure (polymyxins and daptomycin) [25]. The treatment of bacterial infections is increasingly complicated by the ability of bacteria to develop resistance to antimicrobial agents. Licochalcone A had been proved to have potent activity against some Gram positive b.Bolism were upregulated. Among of 29 genes encoding ABC-type amino acid transport system, 11 genes (37.9 ) were significantly up-regulated and no gene was significantly down-regulated. Besides, genes responsible for the anabolism of amino acid were up-regulated. For example, gene 05SSU0252 encoding glutamate dehydrogenase and gene 05SSU0791 encoding carbamoylphosphate synthase, were up-regulated more than two fold. However, genesresponsible for the catabolism of amino acid were down-regulated. For example, gene 05SSU1709 encoding cysteine aminopeptidase C and gene 05SSU0345 10457188 encoding amidotransferase were downregulated more than two fold. Taken together, we supposed that S.suis might be in the status of amino acid starvation and initiation of the replication was inhibited after treatment of licochalcone A. Division is initiated near the end of chromosome segregation by the formation of a cytokinetic ring at the nascent division site. The tubulin-like protein FtsZ serves as the foundation for assembly of this ring and is required for recruitment of the division machinery. After treated by licochalcone A, as shown in Table 2, S.suis cell division related genes encoded by 05SSU0417 (gpsB) and 05SSU0479 are significantly decreased expression two fold, and no gene was significantly up-regulated. Besides, among of 26 cell division related genes based on COG categories, 17 genes downregulated the expression, 6 genes up-regulated their expression (data not shown).DiscussionLicochalcone A is a retrochalcone isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza inflate. It is active against a wide range ofInhibition Effect of Licochalcone A on S.suisFigure 3. Effect of licochalcone A on suilysin secretion of S.suis strain 05ZYH33 determined by hemolytic activity. A. Culture supernatants of S.suis 05ZYH33 treated by different concentration of licochalcone A were collected and tested the hemolytic activity as described by materials and methods. One hemolytic unit is defined as the reciprocal of the suilysin titre, which was calculated as the highest dilution of the supernatant which caused at least 50 hemolysis. B. The absorbance at 600 nm was recorded to determine the changes in growth and culture density. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0067728.gGram positive organisms but not against Gram negative bacteria and eukaryotes [24]. In this study, our results demonstrated that licochalcone A is active against S.suis with MICs of 4 mg/ml for S.suis serotype 2 strains and 8 mg/ml for S.suis serotype 7 strains. Besides, our results also demonstated that licochalcone A could change some properties of S.suis such as biofilm formation and suilysin secretion. Thus, licochalcone A might be a useful compound for the development of prevention and therapy agent for S.suis infection. Antimicrobial agents are often categorized according to their principal mechanism of action. Mechanisms include interference with cell wall synthesis (e.g., b-lactams and glycopeptide agents), inhibition of protein synthesis (macrolides and tetracyclines), interference with nucleic acid synthesis (fluoroquinolones and rifampin), inhibition of a metabolic pathway (trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole), and disruption of bacterial membrane structure (polymyxins and daptomycin) [25]. The treatment of bacterial infections is increasingly complicated by the ability of bacteria to develop resistance to antimicrobial agents. Licochalcone A had been proved to have potent activity against some Gram positive b.