In vitro antibacterial activity and antifungal mode of action of flocculosin, a membrane-active cellobiose lipid

To investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity and antifungal mode of action of flocculosin, a cellobiose lipid produced by Pseudozyma flocculosa. When tested against clinical bacterial isolates, the compound was particularly active against Gram-positive bacteria and its effect was not mitigated...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied microbiology 2009-09, Vol.107 (3), p.989-996
Main Authors: Mimee, B, Pelletier, R, Bélanger, R.R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology
antibacterial
Antifungal Agents - pharmacology
Bacteria - drug effects
Bacteria - metabolism
Bacteria - ultrastructure
Biological and medical sciences
Candida albicans - drug effects
Candida albicans - growth & development
Candida albicans - metabolism
Cell Membrane - drug effects
Cellobiose - analogs & derivatives
Cellobiose - pharmacology
Colony Count, Microbial
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
glycolipid
Glycolipids - pharmacology
membrane-active antimicrobial
Microbial Sensitivity Tests - methods
Microbiology
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Plant Proteins - pharmacology
Potassium - metabolism
Pseudozyma flocculosa
Time Factors
Ustilaginales - metabolism
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Summary:To investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity and antifungal mode of action of flocculosin, a cellobiose lipid produced by Pseudozyma flocculosa. When tested against clinical bacterial isolates, the compound was particularly active against Gram-positive bacteria and its effect was not mitigated against isolates known as resistant to other antibiotics. The antifungal activity of flocculosin was found to be rapid and concentration-dependent. At lethal concentrations against Candida albicans, flocculosin caused a rapid leakage of intracellular potassium and inhibited acidification of the medium by plasma membrane ATPases suggesting a physical rather than a biochemical effect. TEM observations of cells exposed 6 h to flocculosin revealed disrupted membranes and disorganized mitochondria. Data obtained in this study confirm that flocculosin acts by disrupting the membrane surface of sensitive micro-organisms. The elucidation of an antifungal mode of action of flocculosin can be exploited in furthering its antimicrobial potential against fungi and bacteria whose cell membranes are particularly sensitive to the action of the molecule.
ISSN:1364-5072
1365-2672
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04280.x