Outer membrane and phospholipid composition of the target membrane affect the antimicrobial potential of first- and second-generation lipophosphonoxins.

ABSTRACT: Lipophosphonoxins (LPPOs) are small modular synthetic antibacterial compounds that target the cytoplasmic membrane. First-generation LPPOs (LPPO I) exhibit an antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria; however they do not exhibit any activity against Gram-negatives. Second-generation LPPOs (LPPO II) also exhibit broadened activity against Gram-negatives. We investigated the reasons behind this different susceptibility of bacteria to the two generations of LPPOs using model membranes and the living model bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. We show that both generations of LPPOs form oligomeric conductive pores and permeabilize the bacterial membrane of sensitive cells. LPPO activity is not affected by the value of the target membrane potential, and thus they are als

SUBMITTER: Latrova K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8129119 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature