Antibiotic transport in resistant bacteria: synchrotron UV fluorescence microscopy to determine antibiotic accumulation with single cell resolution.

ABSTRACT: A molecular definition of the mechanism conferring bacterial multidrug resistance is clinically crucial and today methods for quantitative determination of the uptake of antimicrobial agents with single cell resolution are missing. Using the naturally occurring fluorescence of antibacterial agents after deep ultraviolet (DUV) excitation, we developed a method to non-invasively monitor the quinolones uptake in single bacteria. Our approach is based on a DUV fluorescence microscope coupled to a synchrotron beamline providing tuneable excitation from 200 to 600 nm. A full spectrum was acquired at each pixel of the image, to study the DUV excited fluorescence emitted from quinolones within single bacteria. Measuring spectra allowed us to separate the antibiotic fluorescence from the autofluore

SUBMITTER: Kascakova S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3373604 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature