title: Comparison of antimicrobial activities of newly obtained low molecular weight scorpion chitosan and medium molecular weight commercial chitosan.
abstract: In this study the antimicrobial activity of low molecular weight (3.22 kDa) chitosan, obtained for the first time from a species belonging to the Scorpiones, was screened against nine pathogenic microorganisms (seven bacteria and two yeasts) and compared with that of medium molecular weight commercial chitosan (MMWCC). It was observed that the antimicrobial activity of the low molecular weight scorpion chitosan (LMWSC) was specific to bacterial species in general rather than gram-negative or gram-positive bacterial groups. It was also determined that LMWSC had a stronger inhibitory effect than the MMWCC, particularly on the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes and the yeast Candida albicans, which are important pathogens for public health. In addition, it was recorded that the MMWCC had a greater inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis than LMWSC. According to the results obtained by the disc diffusion method, the antibacterial activity of both LMWSC and MMWCC against B. subtilis and Salmonella enteritidis was higher than the widely used antibiotic Gentamicin (CN, 10 μg/disc).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, 68100 Aksaray, Turkey. Electronic address: muratkaya3806@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, 68100 Aksaray, Turkey. Electronic address: meltemozusaglam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asan-Ozusaglam
authors.affiliation: Fisheries Programme, Keşan Vocational College, Trakya University, 22800 Keşan, Edirne, Turkey. Electronic address: serdogantrakya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sevil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdogan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004058:Diffusion; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000187:drug effects; D012605:Scorpions / Q000737:chemistry*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Antibacterial; Antifungal; Characterization; Chitosan; Molecular weight; Scorpion