biostudies-literaturePun MUnited States - Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund20792-20809https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12371876biostudies-literatureUnknown73(33)Naringenin, a flavanone from citrus, was studied for its ability to reduce virulence in <i>Pectobacterium</i>, a phytopathogen causing soft rot disease in crop plants. Naringenin downregulated quorum sensing (QS) and suppressed critical virulence determinants in <i>Pectobacterium brasiliense</i> Pb1692, including plant cell wall-degrading enzymes, bacterial motility, and biofilm formation, consequently reducing disease symptoms in two host plants. Molecular docking simulations revealed a plausible binding mode for naringenin within the QS protein ExpI, which were maintained during microsecond-long Molecular Dynamics simulations. These simulations provided atomic-scale insight into specific interactions and estimated binding free energies, supporting naringenin's QS inhibition mode of actioJournal of agricultural and food chemistryMultimodal Inhibition of &lt;i&gt;Pectobacterium brasiliense&lt;/i&gt; Virulence by the Citrus Flavanone Naringenin.PMC12371876IS-5502-22CSenderowitz HGalsurker OPun MCharkowski AKerem ZWeitman MKhazanov NYedidia IYelin SfalseMultimodal Inhibition of &lt;i&gt;Pectobacterium brasiliense&lt;/i&gt; Virulence by the Citrus Flavanone Naringenin.Naringenin, a flavanone from citrus, was studied for its ability to reduce virulence in <i>Pectobacterium</i>, a phytopathogen causing soft rot disease in crop plants. Naringenin downregulated quorum sensing (QS) and suppressed critical virulence determinants in <i>Pectobacterium brasiliense</i> Pb1692, including plant cell wall-degrading enzymes, bacterial motility, and biofilm formation, consequently reducing disease symptoms in two host plants. Molecular docking simulations revealed a plausible binding mode for naringenin within the QS protein ExpI, which were maintained during microsecond-long Molecular Dynamics simulations. These simulations provided atomic-scale insight into specific interactions and estimated binding free energies, supporting naringenin's QS inhibition mode of actio2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Aug2026-05-09T10:38:50.432Z2026-04-08T00:47:49.212ZS-EPMC123718764076703910.1021/acs.jafc.5c04312