title: Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid affect peptidoglycan metabolism in Listeria monocytogenes.
abstract: The plant pentacyclic triterpenoids, oleanolic and ursolic acids, inhibit the growth and survival of many bacteria, particularly Gram-positive species, including pathogenic ones. The effect of these compounds on the facultative human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes was examined. Both acids affected cell morphology and enhanced autolysis of the bacterial cells. Autolysis of isolated cell walls was inhibited by oleanolic acid, but the inhibitory activity of ursolic acid was less pronounced. Both compounds inhibited peptidoglycan turnover and quantitatively affected the profile of muropeptides obtained after digestion of peptidoglycan with mutanolysin. These results suggest that peptidoglycan metabolism is a cellular target of oleanolic and ursolic acids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland. annakurek@biol.uw.edu.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurek
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grudniak
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szwed
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klicka
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samluk
authors.forename: Krystyna I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Wolska
authors.forename: Wirginia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Janiszowska
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Popowska
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001433:Bacteriolysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000187:drug effects*; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D010455:Peptides; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D014315:Triterpenes; D000097245:Ursolic Acid