title: Divalent metal ion triggered activity of a synthetic antimicrobial in cardiolipin membranes.
abstract: One member of a prototypical class of antimicrobial oligomers was used to study pore formation in cardiolipin-rich membranes. Both vesicle dye-leakage assays and small-angle X-ray scattering were used to study bilayer remodeling. The results indicate that the presence of negative intrinsic curvature lipids is essential for pore formation by this class of molecules: In Gram-positive bacteria, cardiolipin and divalent metal cations like Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) are needed. This is consistent with the role of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipid in Gram-negative bacteria, where antimicrobial activity is dependent on the negative intrinsic curvature of PE rather than a specific interaction with PE.
authors.affiliation: Polymer Science & Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Abhigyan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Som
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Gerard C L
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Gregory N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Tew
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry*; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002308:Cardiolipins; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium