title: On structural damage incurred by bacteria upon exposure to hydrophobic polycationic coatings.
abstract: Hydrophobic polycations previously developed by us efficiently kill E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus on contact. As visualized by electron microscopy herein, these pathogenic bacteria incur marked morphological damage from the exposure to these N-alkylated-polyethylenimine "paints" which results in the leakage of an appreciable fraction of the total cellular protein. The quantity and composition of that leaked protein is similar to that released upon traditional lysozyme/EDTA treatment, thus providing insights into the mechanism of action of our microbicidal coatings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Bryan B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Sze Yinn
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Paula T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Klibanov
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D011094:Polyethyleneimine