title: Antibacterial activity of glycine betaine analogues: involvement of osmoporters.
abstract: Glycine betaine (GB) analogues were obtained using solid phase organic synthesis and assayed for their toxic activity against 15 Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Four benzyl derivatives of GB were selected to determine their effect on bacterial growth. Bacteriostatic and lethal effects were observed for compound 1 and compound 2, respectively. The importation of the two GB analogues into bacterial cells appeared strictly dependent on the presence of the powerful betaine membrane osmoporters; their capacity to be amassed intracellularly at molar levels from extremely dilute solutions might constitute a basis to design a new class of antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Université de Rennes I, UMR CNRS 6026, Interactions Cellulaires et Moléculaires, Equipe Osmoadaptation chez les Bactéries, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cosquer
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ficamos
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jebbar
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Corbel
authors.forename: Gwénaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choquet
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fontenelle
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Uriac
authors.forename: Théophile
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001622:Betaine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009995:Osmosis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001622:Betaine