Allicin Induces Thiol Stress in Bacteria through S-Allylmercapto Modification of Protein Cysteines.

ABSTRACT: Allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) from garlic is a highly potent natural antimicrobial substance. It inhibits growth of a variety of microorganisms, among them antibiotic-resistant strains. However, the precise mode of action of allicin is unknown. Here, we show that growth inhibition of Escherichia coli during allicin exposure coincides with a depletion of the glutathione pool and S-allylmercapto modification of proteins, resulting in overall decreased total sulfhydryl levels. This is accompanied by the induction of the oxidative and heat stress response. We identified and quantified the allicin-induced modification S-allylmercaptocysteine for a set of cytoplasmic proteins by using a combination of label-free mass spectrometry and differential isotope-coded affinity tag labeling of reduced

SUBMITTER: Muller A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4882420 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature