title: Protamine-induced permeabilization of cell envelopes of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Wageningen, Agricultural University, The Netherlands. cjoh@novo.dk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verheul
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gram
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abee
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011479:Protamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013696:Temperature; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D011479:Protamines; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D001616:beta-Galactosidase