Antimicrobial activity of untypical lipid compounds in the cuticular and internal lipids of four fly species.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the qualitative and quantitative analyses of untypical compounds in the cuticular and internal lipids of four dipteran species. For isolated compounds, antimicrobial activity against 18 reference strains of bacteria and fungi was determined.


RESULTS
In this study, gas chromatography (GC) combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyse the surface and internal compounds of four fly species. Seven untypical compounds from both pre-imaginal and imaginal stages of examined insects were identified. Azelaic acid (AA) was the most abundant, while phenylacetic and phenylpropionic acids occurred in lower concentration. Minor quantities of sebacic acid, 2-methyl-2-hydroxybutanoic acid, tocopherol acetate and trace amounts of 2,4-decadienal were also detected. Tocopherol acetate was found only in cuticular lipids of Musca domestica larvae. Each compound was tested against several species of fungi and bacteria by determining minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Human pathogenic fungi were also investigated. Phenylpropionic acid showed the greatest antifungal activity. Bacterial strains were insensitive to the presence of identified compounds, apart from 2,4-decadienal which strongly inhibited bacterial growth.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first time that the chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of untypical compounds in the cuticular and internal lipids of four fly species has been analysed.


CONCLUSIONS
Determination of untypical compounds and their antimicrobial activity can effectively contribute to the knowledge concerning insect defence mechanisms.
Institute for Environmental and Human Health Protection, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
M
M
Gołębiowski
Institute for Environmental and Human Health Protection, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
M
M
Cerkowniak
Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
A
A
Urbanek
Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
M
M
Dawgul
Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
W
W
Kamysz
Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
M I
MI
Boguś
Institute of Plant Protection, Poznań, Poland.
D
D
Sosnowska
Institute for Environmental and Human Health Protection, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
P
P
Stepnowski
D000447:Aldehydes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D003652:Decanoic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004175:Diptera / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007814:Larva / Q000737:chemistry; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011422:Propionates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
D000447:Aldehydes; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003652:Decanoic Acids; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D008055:Lipids; D010648:Phenylacetates; D011422:Propionates; C057349:2,4-decadienal; C011107:sebacic acid; C025136:phenylacetic acid; C010038:azelaic acid; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; C031570:2-hydroxybutyric acid
Calliphora vicina; Calliphora vomitoria; Musca domestica; Sarcophaga carnaria; gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry; untypical compounds in insects