Fatty acid synthesis is a target for antibacterial activity of unsaturated fatty acids

Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, show antibacterial activity and are the key ingredients of antimicrobial food additives and some antibacterial herbs. However, the precise mechanism for this antimicrobial activity remains unclear. We found that linoleic acid inhibited bacte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEBS letters 2005-09, Vol.579 (23), p.5157-5162
Main Authors: Zheng, Chang Ji, Yoo, Jung-Sung, Lee, Tae-Gyu, Cho, Hee-Young, Kim, Young-Ho, Kim, Won-Gon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism
Antibacterial
Bacteria - chemistry
Bacteria - metabolism
Enoyl-(Acyl-Carrier-Protein) Reductase (NADH)
Enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase
Fatty acid synthesis
Fatty Acids - biosynthesis
Fatty Acids - chemistry
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - metabolism
Linoleic acid
Oxidoreductases - antagonists & inhibitors
Oxidoreductases - genetics
Oxidoreductases - metabolism
Unsaturated fatty acid
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Summary:Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, show antibacterial activity and are the key ingredients of antimicrobial food additives and some antibacterial herbs. However, the precise mechanism for this antimicrobial activity remains unclear. We found that linoleic acid inhibited bacterial enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI), an essential component of bacterial fatty acid synthesis, which has served as a promising target for antibacterial drugs. Additional unsaturated fatty acids including palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid also exhibited the inhibition of FabI. However, neither the saturated form (stearic acid) nor the methyl ester of linoleic acid inhibited FabI. These FabI-inhibitory activities of various fatty acids and their derivatives very well correlated with the inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis using [ 14C] acetate incorporation assay, and importantly, also correlated with antibacterial activity. Furthermore, the supplementation with exogenous fatty acids reversed the antibacterial effect of linoleic acid, which showing that it target fatty acid synthesis. Our data demonstrate for the first time that the antibacterial action of unsaturated fatty acids is mediated by the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis.
ISSN:0014-5793
1873-3468
DOI:10.1016/j.febslet.2005.08.028