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Membrane disruption by antimicrobial fatty acids releases low-molecular-weight proteins from Staphylococcus aureus.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Parsons, JB; Yao, J; Frank, MW; Jackson, P; Rock, CO
Published in: Journal of bacteriology
October 2012

The skin represents an important barrier for pathogens and is known to produce fatty acids that are toxic toward gram-positive bacteria. A screen of fatty acids as growth inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus revealed structure-specific antibacterial activity. Fatty acids like oleate (18:1Δ9) were nontoxic, whereas palmitoleate (16:1Δ9) was a potent growth inhibitor. Cells treated with 16:1Δ9 exhibited rapid membrane depolarization, the disruption of all major branches of macromolecular synthesis, and the release of solutes and low-molecular-weight proteins into the medium. Other cytotoxic lipids, such as glycerol ethers, sphingosine, and acyl-amines blocked growth by the same mechanisms. Nontoxic 18:1Δ9 was used for phospholipid synthesis, whereas toxic 16:1Δ9 was not and required elongation to 18:1Δ11 prior to incorporation. However, blocking fatty acid metabolism using inhibitors to prevent acyl-acyl carrier protein formation or glycerol-phosphate acyltransferase activity did not increase the toxicity of 18:1Δ9, indicating that inefficient metabolism did not play a determinant role in fatty acid toxicity. Nontoxic 18:1Δ9 was as toxic as 16:1Δ9 in a strain lacking wall teichoic acids and led to growth arrest and enhanced release of intracellular contents. Thus, wall teichoic acids contribute to the structure-specific antimicrobial effects of unsaturated fatty acids. The ability of poorly metabolized 16:1 isomers to penetrate the cell wall defenses is a weakness that has been exploited by the innate immune system to combat S. aureus.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of bacteriology

DOI

EISSN

1098-5530

ISSN

0021-9193

Publication Date

October 2012

Volume

194

Issue

19

Start / End Page

5294 / 5304

Related Subject Headings

  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Permeability
  • Microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Fatty Acids
  • Cytoplasm
  • Cell Membrane
  • Bacterial Proteins
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Parsons, J. B., Yao, J., Frank, M. W., Jackson, P., & Rock, C. O. (2012). Membrane disruption by antimicrobial fatty acids releases low-molecular-weight proteins from Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of Bacteriology, 194(19), 5294–5304. https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00743-12
Parsons, Joshua B., Jiangwei Yao, Matthew W. Frank, Pamela Jackson, and Charles O. Rock. “Membrane disruption by antimicrobial fatty acids releases low-molecular-weight proteins from Staphylococcus aureus.Journal of Bacteriology 194, no. 19 (October 2012): 5294–5304. https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00743-12.
Parsons JB, Yao J, Frank MW, Jackson P, Rock CO. Membrane disruption by antimicrobial fatty acids releases low-molecular-weight proteins from Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of bacteriology. 2012 Oct;194(19):5294–304.
Parsons, Joshua B., et al. “Membrane disruption by antimicrobial fatty acids releases low-molecular-weight proteins from Staphylococcus aureus.Journal of Bacteriology, vol. 194, no. 19, Oct. 2012, pp. 5294–304. Epmc, doi:10.1128/jb.00743-12.
Parsons JB, Yao J, Frank MW, Jackson P, Rock CO. Membrane disruption by antimicrobial fatty acids releases low-molecular-weight proteins from Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of bacteriology. 2012 Oct;194(19):5294–5304.

Published In

Journal of bacteriology

DOI

EISSN

1098-5530

ISSN

0021-9193

Publication Date

October 2012

Volume

194

Issue

19

Start / End Page

5294 / 5304

Related Subject Headings

  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Permeability
  • Microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Fatty Acids
  • Cytoplasm
  • Cell Membrane
  • Bacterial Proteins