Prodigiosin - A Multifaceted Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Agent.
Despite a considerable interest in prodigiosin, the mechanism of its antibacterial activity is still poorly understood. In this work, Escherichia coli cells were treated with prodigiosin to determine its antimicrobial effect on bacterial physiology. The effect of prodigiosin was concentration dependent. In prodigiosin treated cells above MIC value no significant DNA damage or cytoplasmic membrane disintegration was observed. The outer membrane, however, becomes leaky. Cells had severely decreased respiration activity. In prodigiosin treated cells protein and RNA synthesis were inhibited, cells were elongated but could not divide. Pre-treatment with prodigiosin improved E. coli survival rate in media containing ampicillin, kanamycin and erythromycin but not phleomycin. The results suggest that prodigiosin acts as a bacteriostatic agent in E. coli cells. If prodigiosin was diluted, cells resumed growth. The results indicate that prodigiosin has distinct mode of antibacterial action in different bacteria.
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Tjaša
T
Danevčič
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Maja
M
Borić Vezjak
Laboratory of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Maša
M
Zorec
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
David
D
Stopar
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006868:Hydrolysis; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D011353:Prodigiosin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C021720:nitrocefin; D011353:Prodigiosin