title: Zinc-Substituted Myoglobin Is a Naturally Occurring Photo-antimicrobial Agent with Potential Applications in Food Decontamination.
abstract: Zinc-substituted myoglobin (ZnMb) is a naturally occurring photosensitizer that generates singlet oxygen with a high quantum yield. Using a combination of photophysical and fluorescence imaging techniques, we demonstrate the interaction of ZnMb with Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. An efficient antibacterial action against S. aureus was observed, with a reduction up to 99.9999% in the number of colony-forming units, whereas no sizable effect was detected against E. coli. Because ZnMb is known to form during the maturation of additive-free not-cooked cured ham, the use of this protein as a built-in photodynamic agent may constitute a viable method for the decontamination of these food products from Gram-positive bacteria.
authors: Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Universita degli Studi di Parma , viale delle Scienze 7A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Delcanale
authors: Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Universita degli Studi di Parma , viale delle Scienze 7A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Montali
authors: Institut Quimic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull , Via Augusta 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Beatriz
authors: B
authors: Rodríguez-Amigo
authors: Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Universita degli Studi di Parma , viale delle Scienze 11A, 43124 Parma, Italy.|NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Abbruzzetti
authors: Dipartimento di Farmacia, Universita degli Studi di Parma , viale delle Scienze 23A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Bruno
authors: Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Bianchini
authors: Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Diaspro
authors: Institut Quimic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull , Via Augusta 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Agut
authors: Institut Quimic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull , Via Augusta 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Santi
authors: S
authors: Nonell
authors: Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Universita degli Studi di Parma , viale delle Scienze 7A, 43124 Parma, Italy.|NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors: Cristiano
authors: C
authors: Viappiani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D008027:Light; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009211:Myoglobin; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D015032:Zinc
keywords: antibacterial photosensitization-based treatment; natural photosensitizers; singlet oxygen