Chemokines Kill Bacteria by Binding Anionic Phospholipids without Triggering Antimicrobial Resistance.

ABSTRACT: Classically, chemokines coordinate leukocyte trafficking during immune responses; however, many chemokines have also been reported to possess direct antibacterial activity in vitro. Yet, the bacterial killing mechanism of chemokines and the biochemical properties that define which members of the chemokine superfamily are antimicrobial remain poorly understood. Here we report that the antimicrobial activity of chemokines is defined by their ability to bind phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin, two anionic phospholipids commonly found in the bacterial plasma membrane. We show that only chemokines able to bind these two phospholipids kill Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and that they exert rapid bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against E. coli with a hig

SUBMITTER: Pontejo SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11291121 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature