Protamine-induced permeabilization of cell envelopes of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

AUTOR(ES)

Johansen, C

RESUMO

The inhibitory effect of the cationic peptide protamine on Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Shewanella putrefaciens has been studied in detail. The addition of protamine (10 to 1,000 micrograms/ml) resulted in inhibition of oxygen consumption after less than 1 min and loss of intracellular carboxyfluorescein and ATP after 2 to 5 min. Maximum antibacterial activity was reached at alkaline pH and in the absence of divalent cations. The efficient permeabilization of cell envelopes of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria suggests that protamine causes a general disruption of the cell envelope, leading to a rapid and nonspecific efflux of low- and high-molecular-weight compounds.

Documentos Relacionados

• Electrochemical classification of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
• Methods for distinguishing gram-positive from gram-negative bacteria.
• Transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
• In vivo transfer of genetic information between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
• Analysis of cell division gene ftsZ (sulB) from gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.