title: Antibacterial properties of chicken intestinal phospholipase A2.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of chicken group-IIA PLA2 (ChPLA2-IIA) in the intestinal secretion suggests that this enzyme plays an important role in systemic bactericidal defence. We have analyzed the bactericidal activity of purified ChPLA2-IIA, on several gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria by using the diffusion well and dilution methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ChPLA2-IIA displays potent bactericidal activity against gram-positive bacteria but lacks bactericidal activity against gram negative ones. We have also demonstrated a synergic action of ChPLA2-IIA with lysozyme when added to the bacteria culture prior to ChPLA2-IIA. The bactericidal efficiency of ChPLA2-IIA was shown to be dependent upon the presence of calcium ions and then a correlation could be made to its hydrolytic activity of membrane phospholipids. Interestingly ChPLA2-IIA displays a higher dependence to Ca²+ ions than to Mg²+ ions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the main physiological role of ChPLA2-IIA could be the defence of the intestine against bacterial invasions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Génie Enzymatique des Lipases, ENIS Route de Soukra, 3038 Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karray
authors.forename: Yassine Ben
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gargouri
authors.forename: Sofiane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bezzine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D002645:Chickens; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007422:Intestines / Q000201:enzymology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry; D009113:Muramidase / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D009113:Muramidase; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium