An EPR investigation of surfactant action on bacterial membranes

Abstract The effects of the surfactants, alcohol ethoxylate, amine ethoxylate, amine oxide and SDS on cell membranes were investigated using the lipid soluble spin label 5-doxyl stearic acid (5-DS). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed that the action of the surfactants was to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS microbiology letters 1999-08, Vol.177 (1), p.57-62
Main Authors: Glover, Richard E., Smith, Royston R., Jones, Martin V., Jackson, Simon K., Rowlands, Christopher C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteriology
Biocide
Biocides
Biological and medical sciences
Cell death
Cell Membrane - drug effects
Cell Membrane - physiology
Cell membranes
Electron paramagnetic resonance
Electron spin
Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy - methods
Ethylene Glycols - pharmacology
Fluidity
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Investigations
Lipids
Membrane fluidity
Membrane Fluidity - drug effects
Membranes
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
Proteus mirabilis - physiology
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - physiology
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate - pharmacology
Spectroscopy
Spin labelling
Staphylococcus aureus - physiology
Stearic acid
Surface-Active Agents - pharmacology
Surfactant
Surfactants
Viscosity
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Summary:Abstract The effects of the surfactants, alcohol ethoxylate, amine ethoxylate, amine oxide and SDS on cell membranes were investigated using the lipid soluble spin label 5-doxyl stearic acid (5-DS). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed that the action of the surfactants was to significantly increase membrane fluidity of Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The action of these surfactants as biocides was investigated and found to be dependent on the type of organism tested. There was, however, no direct correlation between enhanced membrane fluidity observed due to the action of the surfactants and biocidal activity. Data presented suggest that perturbing the fluidity of the cytoplasmic membrane is not immediately responsible for cell death.
ISSN:0378-1097
1574-6968
DOI:10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb13713.x