Gastrointestinal infections caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter jejuni present major global public health challenges, often leading to severe gastroenteritis and systemic disease. The rise of antimicrobial resistance necessitates the exploration of alternative therapeutic agents. This study utilized a microbioinformatics approach to investigate the antipathogenic potential of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a primary bioactive compound in green tea, against these three major pathogens. Using computational tools including STITCH v5.0, VICMPred, VirulentPred, and PSORTb v3.0, we analyzed protein-ligand interactions, functional classifications, virulence properties, and subcellular localizations. Interaction analysis identified ten specific proteins for each pathogen that interface with EGCG, representing diverse functional classes such as cellular processes and molecular metabolism. Subsequent assessments identified several proteins as key virulence factors, including ECs1953, Z1444, and hiuH in E. coli O157:H7; lmo0618, lmo0970, and lmo0980 in L. monocytogenes, and Cj0694, Cj0715, Cj0807, Cj1289, fabI in C. jejuni. Furthermore, B-cell epitope prediction identified specific amino acid sequences recognized by the immune system, while subcellular analysis revealed that most virulent proteins are localized within the cytoplasmic membrane. These findings elucidate the complex molecular interplay between EGCG and essential pathogenic proteins, supporting its potential as a natural therapeutic intervention. While this microbioinformatics study provides a roadmap for targeted strategies against gastrointestinal infections, further in vitro and in vivo experimental validations are essential to confirm clinical efficacy.
Furtuna et al. (2026) studied this question.