Chitosan derivatives killed bacteria by disrupting the outer and inner membrane

Anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7 properties of purple prairie clover and sainfoin condensed tannins

Condensed tannins (CT) from purple prairie clover (PPC; Dalea purpurea Vent.) and sainfoin (SF; Onobrychis viciifolia) were assessed for anti-Escherichia coli activity by comparing their ability to react with proteins and liposome, cause cell aggregation, and alter outer membrane (OM) morphology and permeability. The PPC CT had greater (P < 0.01) protein-precipitating capacity than SF CT using either bovine serum albumin or ribulose 1,5-disphosphate carboxylase as model proteins. Minimum inhibitory concentration of PPC CT for two strains of E. coli and five strains of E. coli O157:H7 was four to six times lower than that of SF CT. E. coli exposed to 10 µg/mL of both CT had higher (P < 0.05) OM permeability than controls and was greater (P < 0.05) for PPC than for SF CT. Addition of both CT at 50 and 200 µg/mL caused cell aggregation which was more evident (P < 0.05) for PPC than for SF CT. Transmission electron microscopy showed electron dense material on the cell surface when cells were exposed to 50 µg/mL of PPC CT. The greater anti-E. coli activity of PPC than SF CT was due to its enhanced ability to precipitate protein that increased OM permeability and promoted cell aggregation.

Antibacterial activity of two chitosan solutions and their effect on rice bacterial leaf blight and leaf streak

BACKGROUND

Bacterial leaf blight and leaf streak are the two most damaging bacterial diseases of rice. However, few bactericidal chemicals are available for controlling both diseases. The antibacterial properties of two kinds of chitosan with different molecular weights and degrees of N-deacetylation and their effect on rice bacterial leaf blight and leaf streak were evaluated.

RESULTS

Results showed that the two kinds of chitosan solution possess a strong antibacterial activity against both rice bacterial pathogens and significantly reduced disease incidence and severity by comparison with the control under greenhouse conditions. However, the interaction between chitosan and rice pathogens was affected by the type and concentration of chitosan, the bacterial species and the contact time between chitosan and bacteria. The direct antibacterial activity of chitosan may be attributed to both membrane lysis and the destruction of biofilm. In addition, both chitosan solutions significantly increased the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase in rice seedlings following inoculation of two rice pathogens by comparison with the control.

CONCLUSION

The role of chitosan in protection of rice against bacterial pathogens has been shown to involve direct antibacterial activity and indirect induced resistance.

Membrane active antimicrobial activity and molecular dynamics study of a novel cationic antimicrobial peptide polybia-MPI, from the venom of Polybia paulista

As the frequent emergence of the resistant bacteria, the development of new agents with a new action mode attracts a great deal of interest. It is now widely accepted that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. In this study, antimicrobial peptide polybia-MPI and its analogs were synthesized and their antibacterial activity was studied. Our results revealed that polybia-MPI has potent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Its ability to make PI permeate into bacteria and lead to the leakage of calcein from model membrane LUVs, suggests a killing mechanism involving membrane perturbation. SEM and TEM microscopy experiments verified that the morphology of bacteria was changed greatly under the treatment of polybia-MPI. Compared with the conventional chemotherapy, polybia-MPI targets the cell membrane rather than entering into the cell to exert its antibacterial activity. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the mechanism of membrane perturbation. The results indicated that the α-helical conformation in the membrane is required for the exhibition of antibacterial activity and the membrane disturbance by polybia-MPI is a cooperative process. In conclusion, with the increasing resistance to conventional antibiotics, there is no doubt that polybia-MPI could offer a new strategy to defend the resistant bacteria.

Two hits are better than one: membrane-active and DNA binding-related double-action mechanism of NK-18, a novel antimicrobial peptide derived from mammalian NK-lysin

The extensive use and misuse of antibiotics in medicine result in the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, creating an urgent need for the development of new chemotherapeutic agents. Nowadays, antimicrobial peptides are widely recognized as a class of promising candidates with activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. NK-18 is a truncated peptide derived from NK-Lysin, an effector of cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. In this study, we studied the antibacterial mechanism of action of NK-18. The results revealed that NK-18 has potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. According to our findings, NK-18 is membrane active and its target of action is not only the bacterial membrane but also the DNA in the cytoplasm. The double targets of NK-18 make it difficult for bacteria to generate resistance, which may present a new strategy to defend against multidrug-resistant bacteria and provide a new lead in the design of potent antimicrobial peptides with therapeutic application in the presence of increasing resistance to conventional antibiotics.

Cleavable cationic antibacterial amphiphiles: synthesis, mechanism of action, and cytotoxicities

The development of novel antimicrobial agents having high selectivity toward bacterial cells over mammalian cells is urgently required to curb the widespread emergence of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. Toward this end, we have developed a set of cationic dimeric amphiphiles (bearing cleavable amide linkages between the headgroup and the hydrocarbon tail with different methylene spacers) that showed high antibacterial activity against human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) and low cytotoxicity. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) were found to be very low for the dimeric amphiphiles and were lower or comparable to the monomeric counterpart. In the case of dimeric amphiphiles, MIC was found to decrease with the increase in the spacer chain length (n = 2 to 6) and again to increase at higher spacer length (n > 6). It was found that the compound with six methylene spacers was the most active among all of the amphiphiles (MICs = 10-13 μM). By fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), it was revealed that these cationic amphiphiles interact with the negatively charged bacterial cell membrane and disrupt the membrane integrity, thus killing the bacteria. All of the cationic amphiphiles showed low hemolytic activity (HC(50)) and high selectivity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The most active amphiphile (n = 6) had a 10-13-fold higher HC(50) than did the MIC. Also, this amphiphile did not show any cytotoxicity against mammalian cells (HeLa cells) even at a concentration above the MIC (20 μM). The critical micellar concentration (CMC) values of gemini surfactants were found to be very low (CMC = 0.30-0.11 mM) and were 10-27 times smaller than the corresponding monomeric analogue (CMC = 2.9 mM). Chemical hydrolysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) proved that these amphiphiles are quite stable under both acidic and thermal conditions. Collectively, these properties make the newly synthesized amphiphiles potentially superior disinfectants and antiseptics for various biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Effect of addition of chitosan to self-etching primer: antibacterial activity and push-out bond strength to radicular dentin

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a modified self-etching primer incorporating chitosan and whether this modification affected the bond strength to radicular dentin. A modified self-etching primer was prepared by adding chitosan solutions at 0.03%, 0.06%, 0.12% and 0.25% (W/W) to RealSeal selfe-tching primer. RealSeal primer without chitosan was used as the control. The antibacterial activity of the modified self-etching primer was evaluated using the direct contact test against Enterococcus faecalis. The bonding ability of the RealSeal system to radicular dentin was evaluated using the push-out bond strength test. The modes of failure were examined under a stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test, with a P-value < 0.05 indicating statistical significance. The results showed that the antibacterial properties of the freshly prepared and aged modified self-etching primer incorporating chitosan exhibited potent antibacterial effect against Enterococcus faecalis compared with the unmodified primer. The RealSeal system with the aged modified self-etching primer incorporating chitosan showed no significant differences in the bond strength as compared with the control (P = 0.99). The findings suggest that modified self-etching primer incorporating chitosan is a promising antibacterial primer which does not adversely affect the bond strength of the RealSeal system to radicular dentin.

Action of chitosan against Xanthomonas pathogenic bacteria isolated from Euphorbia pulcherrima

The antibacterial activity and mechanism of two kinds of chitosan were investigated against twelve Xanthomonas strains recovered from Euphorbia pulcherrima. Results indicated that both chitosans markedly inhibited bacterial growth based on OD loss. Furthermore, the release of DNA and RNA from three selected strains was increased by both chitosans. However, the release of intracellular proteins was inhibited by both chitosans at different concentration and incubation times, except chitosan A at 0.1 mg/mL for 0.5 h incubation and 0.2 mg/mL for 2.0 h incubation increased the release of proteins, indicating the complexity of the interaction and cell membranes, which was affected by incubation time, bacterial species, chitosan type and concentration. Transmission electron microscopic observations revealed that chitosan caused changes in protoplast concentration and surface morphology. In some cells, the membranes and walls were badly distorted and disrupted, while other cells were enveloped by a thick and compact ribbon-like layer. The contrary influence on cell morphology may explain the differential effect in the release of material. In addition, scanning electron microscope and biofilm formation test revealed that both chitosans removed biofilm biomass. Overall, this study showed that membrane and biofilm play an important role in the antibacterial mechanism of chitosan.

Chitosan: antimicrobial action upon staphylococci after impregnation onto cotton fabric

BACKGROUND

High levels of viable Staphylococcus aureus, which are often found on inflamed skin surfaces, are usually associated with atopic dermatitis. Textiles, owing to their high specific surface area and intrinsic hydrophilicity, retain moisture while also providing excellent environmental conditions for microbial growth and proliferation. Recently, a number of chemicals have been added to textiles, so as to confer antimicrobial activity.

AIMS

To evaluate the antimicrobial action of chitosan upon selected skin staphylococci.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We isolated staphylococci from normal skin of 24 volunteers and studied their survival upon contact with chitosan-impregnated cotton fabric. Low and high molecular weight chitosans were used at two concentrations; all four did effectively reduce the growth of some staphylococci (namely Staph. aureus), by up to 5 log cycles, thus unfolding a potential towards control and even prevention of related skin disorders.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest an effective, but selective antibacterial action of chitosans towards skin bacteria.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The possibility to use a natural biopolymer incorporated in a textile to alleviate and even treat some of the symptoms associated with this skin condition may raise an alternative to existing medical treatments. The selectivity observed prevents full elimination of bacteria from the skin surface, which is an advantage.

Molecular weight and pH effects of aminoethyl modified chitosan on antibacterial activity in vitro

Aminoethyl modified chitosan derivatives (AEMCSs) with different molecular weight (Mw) were synthesized by grafting aminoethyl group on different molecular weight chitosans and chitooligosaccharide. FTIR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, elemental analysis and potentiometric titration results showed that branched polyethylimine chitosan was synthesized. Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) protocols were used to determine MIC for Gram-negative strain of Escherichia coli under different pH. The antibacterial activity of the derivatives was significantly improved compared with original chitosans, with MIC values against E. coli varying from 4 to 64 μg/mL depending on different Mw and pH. High molecular weight seems to be in favor of stronger antibacterial activity. At pH 7.4, derivatives with Mw above 27 kDa exhibited equivalent antibacterial activity (16 μg/mL), while oligosaccharide chitosan derivative with lower Mw (~1.4 kDa) showed decreased MIC of 64 μg/mL. The effect of pH on antibacterial activity is more complicated. An optimal pH for HAEMCS was found around 6.5 to give MIC as low as 4 μg/mL, while higher or lower pH compromised the activity. Cell integrity assay and SEM images showed evident cell disruption, indicating membrane disruption may be one possible mechanism for antibacterial activity.

"Nanoantibiotics": a new paradigm for treating infectious diseases using nanomaterials in the antibiotics resistant era

Despite the fact that we live in an era of advanced and innovative technologies for elucidating underlying mechanisms of diseases and molecularly designing new drugs, infectious diseases continue to be one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. The main drawbacks for conventional antimicrobial agents are the development of multiple drug resistance and adverse side effects. Drug resistance enforces high dose administration of antibiotics, often generating intolerable toxicity, development of new antibiotics, and requests for significant economic, labor, and time investments. Recently, nontraditional antibiotic agents have been of tremendous interest in overcoming resistance that is developed by several pathogenic microorganisms against most of the commonly used antibiotics. Especially, several classes of antimicrobial nanoparticles (NPs) and nanosized carriers for antibiotics delivery have proven their effectiveness for treating infectious diseases, including antibiotics resistant ones, in vitro as well as in animal models. This review summarizes emerging efforts in combating against infectious diseases, particularly using antimicrobial NPs and antibiotics delivery systems as new tools to tackle the current challenges in treating infectious diseases.

Effectiveness of chitosan against mature biofilms formed by food related bacteria

Chitosan has proven antimicrobial properties against planktonic cell growth. Little is known, however, about its effects on already established biofilms. Oriented for application in food industry disinfection, the effectiveness of both medium molecular weight (MMW) chitosan and its enzymatically hydrolyzed product was tested against mature biofilms of four pathogenic strains, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica, and a food spoilage species, Pseudomonas fluorescens. Unexpectedly, log reductions were in some cases higher for biofilm than for planktonic cells. One hour exposure to MMW chitosan (1% w/v) caused a 6 log viable cell reduction on L. monocytogenes monospecies mature biofilms and reduced significantly (3-5 log reductions) the attached population of the other organisms tested, except S. aureus. Pronase-treated chitosan was more effective than MMW chitosan on all tested microorganisms, also with the exception of S. aureus, offering best results (8 log units) against the attached cells of B. cereus. These treatments open a new possibility to fight against mature biofilms in the food industry.

Applications of chitin and its derivatives in biological medicine

Chitin and its derivatives-as a potential resource as well as multiple functional substrates-have generated attractive interest in various fields such as biomedical, pharmaceutical, food and environmental industries, since the first isolation of chitin in 1811. Moreover, chitosan and its chitooligosaccharides (COS) are degraded products of chitin through enzymatic and acidic hydrolysis processes; and COS, in particular, is well suited for potential biological application, due to the biocompatibility and nontoxic nature of chitosan. In this review, we investigate the current bioactivities of chitin derivatives, which are all correlated with their biomedical properties. Several new and cutting edge insights here may provide a molecular basis for the mechanism of chitin, and hence may aid its use for medical and pharmaceutical applications.

Antibacterial effects of poly(2-(dimethylamino ethyl)methacrylate) against selected gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria

Antimicrobial coatings can reduce the occurrence of medical device-related bacterial infections. Poly(2-(dimethylamino ethyl)methacrylate) (pDMAEMA) is one such polymer that is being researched in this regard. The aims of this study were to (1) elucidate pDMAEMA's antimicrobial activity against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and (2) to investigate its antimicrobial mode of action. The methods used include determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against various bacteria and the effect of pH and temperature on antimicrobial activity. The ability of pDMAEMA to permeabilise bacterial membranes was determined using the dyes 1-N-phenyl-naphthylamine and calcein-AM. Flow cytometry was used to investigate pDMAEMA's capacity to be internalized by bacteria and to determine effects on bacterial cell cycling. pDMAEMA was bacteriostatic against Gram-negative bacteria with MIC values between 0.1-1 mg/mL. MIC values against Gram-positive bacteria were variable. pDMAEMA was active against Gram-positive bacteria around its pK(a) and at lower pH values, while it was active against Gram-negative bacteria around its pK(a) and at higher pH values. pDMAEMA inhibited bacterial growth by binding to the outside of the bacteria, permeabilizing the outer membrane and disrupting the cytoplasmic membrane. By incorporating pDMAEMA with erythromycin, it was found that the efficacy of the latter was increased against Gram-negative bacteria. Together, the results illustrate that pDMAEMA acts in a similar fashion to other cationic biocides.

Review of antimicrobial and antioxidative activities of chitosans in food

Interest in chitosan, a biodegradable, nontoxic, non-antigenic, and biocompatible biopolymer isolated from shellfish, arises from the fact that chitosans are reported to exhibit numerous health-related beneficial effects, including strong antimicrobial and antioxidative activities in foods. The extraordinary interest in the chemistry and application in agriculture, horticulture, environmental science, industry, microbiology, and medicine is attested by about 17,000 citations on this subject in the Scopus database. A special need exists to develop a better understanding of the role of chitosans in ameliorating foodborne illness. To contribute to this effort, this overview surveys and interprets our present knowledge of the chemistry and antimicrobial activities of chitosan in solution, as powders, and in edible films and coating against foodborne pathogens, spoilage bacteria, and pathogenic viruses and fungi in several food categories. These include produce, fruit juices, eggs and dairy, cereal, meat, and seafood products. Also covered are antimicrobial activities of chemically modified and nanochitosans, therapeutic properties, and possible mechanisms of the antimicrobial, antioxidative, and metal chelating effects. Further research is suggested in each of these categories. The widely scattered data on the multifaceted aspects of chitosan microbiology, summarized in the text and in 10 tables and 8 representative figures, suggest that low-molecular-weight chitosans at a pH below 6.0 presents optimal conditions for achieving desirable antimicrobial and antioxidative-preservative effects in liquid and solid foods. We are very hopeful that the described findings will be a valuable record and resource for further progress to improve microbial food safety and food quality.

Antibacterial action of a novel functionalized chitosan-arginine against Gram-negative bacteria

The antimicrobial activity of chitosan and chitosan derivatives has been well established. However, although several mechanisms have been proposed, the exact mode of action is still unclear. Here we report on the investigation of antibacterial activity and the antibacterial mode of action of a novel water-soluble chitosan derivative, arginine-functionalized chitosan, on the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli. Two different arginine-functionalized chitosans (6% arginine-substituted and 30% arginine-substituted) each strongly inhibited P. fluorescens and E. coli growth. Time-dependent killing efficacy experiments showed that 5000 mg l(-1) of 6%- and 30%-substituted chitosan-arginine killed 2.7 logs and 4.5 logs of P. fluorescens, and 4.8 logs and 4.6 logs of E. coli in 4h, respectively. At low concentrations, the 6%-substituted chitosan-arginine was more effective in inhibiting cell growth even though the 30%-substituted chitosan-arginine appeared to be more effective in permeabilizing the cell membranes of both P. fluorescens and E. coli. Studies using fluorescent probes, 1-N-phenyl-naphthylamine (NPN), nile red (NR) and propidium iodide (PI), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) suggest that chitosan-arginine's antibacterial activity is, at least in part, due to its interaction with the cell membrane, in which it increases membrane permeability.

Inhibition of bacterial growth and intramniotic infection in a guinea pig model of chorioamnionitis using PAMAM dendrimers

Dendrimers have emerged as topical microbicides to treat vaginal infections. This study explores the in vitro, in vivo antimicrobial activity of PAMAM dendrimers, and the associated mechanism. Interestingly, topical cervical application of 500 microg of generation-4 neutral dendrimer (G(4)-PAMAM-OH) showed potential to treat the Escherichia coli induced ascending uterine infection in guinea pig model of chorioamnionitis. Amniotic fluid collected from different gestational sacs of infected guinea pigs posttreatment showed absence of E. coli growth in the cultures plated with it. The cytokine level [tumor necrosis factor (TNFalpha) and interleukin (IL-6 and IL-1beta)] in placenta of the G(4)-PAMAM-OH treated animals were comparable to those in healthy animals while these were notably high in infected animals. Since, antibacterial activity of amine-terminated PAMAM dendrimers is known, the activity of hydroxyl and carboxylic acid terminated PAMAM dendrimers was compared with it. Though the G(4)-PAMAM-NH(2) shows superior antibacterial activity, it was found to be cytotoxic to human cervical epithelial cell line above 10 microg/mL, while the G(4)-PAMAM-OH was non-cytotoxic up to 1mg/mL concentration. Cell integrity, outer (OM) and inner (IM) membrane permeabilization assays showed that G(4)-PAMAM-OH dendrimer efficiently changed the OM permeability, while G(4)-PAMAM-NH(2) and G(3.5)-PAMAM-COOH damaged both OM and IM causing the bacterial lysis. The possible antibacterial mechanism are G(4)-PAMAM-NH(2) acts as polycation binding to the polyanionic lipopolysaccharide in E. coli, the G(4)-PAMAM-OH forms hydrogen bonds with the hydrophilic O-antigens in E. coli membrane and the G(3.5)-PAMAM-COOH acts as a polyanion, chelating the divalent ions in outer cell membrane of E. coli. This is the first study which shows that G(4)-PAMAM-OH dendrimer acts as an antibacterial agent.

Synergistic effects between aminoethyl-chitosans and beta-lactams against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Two kinds of aminoethyl-chitosans (AEC), AEC90 and AEC50, which had degrees of deacetylation of 90% and 50%, respectively, were prepared and their synergistic effects in combination with beta-lactams including ampicillin, penicillin, and oxacillin against two standard methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and twelve clinical isolated MRSA strains were investigated. When AECs and beta-lactams were combined, synergistic effects were observed with fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of 0.252-0.508, and the MICs of beta-lactams in the presence of AECs were dramatically reduced.

Target site for the antibacterial action of chitosan from red swamp crayfish

AIM: To investigate the potential target site for the antibacterial action of chitosan from red swamp crayfish and explore its antibacterial mechanism.

METHODS: Chitosan from red swamp crayfish was labeled with 5(6)-carboxy-tetramethylrhodamine-5-maleimide. The labeled chitosan was then incubated with Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus), respectively. The total protein (TP) and nucleic acid contents in cell-free supernatants of chitosan-treated E.coli and S.aureus were determined. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to observe the distribution of fluorescently labeled chitosan in bacteria.

RESULTS: Chitosan treatment significantly increased the nucleic acid and TP contents in cell-free supernatants of E.coli (1.13 ± 0.06 vs 0.00 and 1.49 ± 0.05 vs 0.22 ± 0.01, respectively; both P < 0.01) and S.aureus (1.00 ± 0.10 vs 0.03 ± 0.06 and 0.81 ± 0.01 vs 0.21 ± 0.02, respectively; both P < 0.01) in a concentration-dependent manner. LSCM showed that the fluorescent signal in the bacterial cytoplasm was stronger than that in the bacterial membrane.

CONCLUSION: Bacterial cytoplasm is the main target site for the antibacterial action of chitosan from red swamp crayfish.

Application of natural antimicrobials for food preservation

In this review, antimicrobials from a range of plant, animal, and microbial sources are reviewed along with their potential applications in food systems. Chemical and biochemical antimicrobial compounds derived from these natural sources and their activity against a range of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms pertinent to food, together with their effects on food organoleptic properties, are outlined. Factors influencing the antimicrobial activity of such agents are discussed including extraction methods, molecular weight, and agent origin. These issues are considered in conjunction with the latest developments in the quantification of the minimum inhibitory (and noninhibitory) concentration of antimicrobials and/or their components. Natural antimicrobials can be used alone or in combination with other novel preservation technologies to facilitate the replacement of traditional approaches. Research priorities and future trends focusing on the impact of product formulation, intrinsic product parameters, and extrinsic storage parameters on the design of efficient food preservation systems are also presented.

Chitosan and its antimicrobial potential--a critical literature survey

Chitosan, an aminopolysaccharide biopolymer, has a unique chemical structure as a linear polycation with a high charge density, reactive hydroxyl and amino groups as well as extensive hydrogen bonding. It displays excellent biocompatibility, physical stability and processability. The term 'chitosan' describes a heterogeneous group of polymers combining a group of physicochemical and biological characteristics, which allow for a wide scope of applications that are both fascinating and as yet uncharted. The increased awareness of the potentials and industrial value of this biopolymer lead to its utilization in many applications of technical interest, and increasingly in the biomedical arena. Although not primarily used as an antimicrobial agent, its utility as an ingredient in both food and pharmaceutical formulations lately gained more interest, when a scientific understanding of at least some of the pharmacological activities of this versatile carbohydrate began to evolve. However, understanding the various factors that affect its antimicrobial activity has become a key issue for a better usage and a more efficient optimization of chitosan formulations. Moreover, the use of chitosan in antimicrobial systems should be based on sufficient knowledge of the complex mechanisms of its antimicrobial mode of action, which in turn would help to arrive at an appreciation of its entire antimicrobial potential.

Antimicrobial activity of coffee melanoidins-a study of their metal-chelating properties

Melanoidins comprise a substantial proportion of severely heat-treated foods such as baked cereals or roasted coffee and are widely consumed dietary components. The antimicrobial activity of coffee melanoidins against different pathogenic bacteria has been studied, finding that such activity is due to their metal-chelating properties. Three different mechanisms have been observed: at low concentrations melanoidins exerted a bacteriostatic activity mediated by iron chelation from the culture medium; in the case of bacterial strains that are able to produce siderophores for iron acquisition, melanoidins chelate the siderophore-Fe3+ complex, which could decrease the virulence of such pathogenic bacteria; and, finally, coffee melanoidins also exerted a bactericide activity at high concentrations by removing Mg2+ cations from the outer membrane, promoting the disruption of the cell membrane and allowing the release of intracellular molecules.

Insights into the mode of action of chitosan as an antibacterial compound

Chitosan is a polysaccharide biopolymer that combines a unique set of versatile physicochemical and biological characteristics which allow for a wide range of applications. Although its antimicrobial activity is well documented, its mode of action has hitherto remained only vaguely defined. In this work we investigated the antimicrobial mode of action of chitosan using a combination of approaches, including in vitro assays, killing kinetics, cellular leakage measurements, membrane potential estimations, and electron microscopy, in addition to transcriptional response analysis. Chitosan, whose antimicrobial activity was influenced by several factors, exhibited a dose-dependent growth-inhibitory effect. A simultaneous permeabilization of the cell membrane to small cellular components, coupled to a significant membrane depolarization, was detected. A concomitant interference with cell wall biosynthesis was not observed. Chitosan treatment of Staphylococcus simulans 22 cells did not give rise to cell wall lysis; the cell membrane also remained intact. Analysis of transcriptional response data revealed that chitosan treatment leads to multiple changes in the expression profiles of Staphylococcus aureus SG511 genes involved in the regulation of stress and autolysis, as well as genes associated with energy metabolism. Finally, a possible mechanism for chitosan's activity is postulated. Although we contend that there might not be a single classical target that would explain chitosan's antimicrobial action, we speculate that binding of chitosan to teichoic acids, coupled with a potential extraction of membrane lipids (predominantly lipoteichoic acid) results in a sequence of events, ultimately leading to bacterial death.

Antimicrobial activity of melanoidins against Escherichia coli is mediated by a membrane-damage mechanism

Melanoidins are brown polymeric material formed during thermal processing of food and widely distributed in the Western diet. Three water-soluble fractions were isolated from both commercial coffee and biscuit by sequential ultrafiltration steps (3 and 10 kDa cutoff). Biscuits were enzymatically digested to solubilize the protein-linked melanoidin fraction. Antimicrobial activity of melanoidins was evaluated against a Gram-negative reference pathogenic bacterium (Escherichia coli). The high-molecular-weight fraction of water-soluble melanoidins (>10 kDa) exerted the highest antimicrobial activity. The mechanism of action was further investigated by cell integrity and outer- and inner-membrane permeabilization assays. At the minimum inhibitory concentration, melanoidins provoked irreversible cell membrane disruption, which was independent of the bacterial transmembrane potential. Results indicate that water-soluble melanoidins killed pathogenic bacteria strains ( E. coli) by causing irreversible changes in both the inner and outer membranes. Likely, it allows for interference with biosynthetic processes, such as the inhibition of nutrient transport and macromolecular precursors.

N-halamine-based chitosan: Preparation, characterization, and antimicrobial function

Upon chlorine bleach treatment, amino groups in chitosan were transformed into N-halamine structures. The transformation was confirmed by UV/VIS, XPS, DSC, and TGA evaluation and iodimetric titration. The N-halalmine-based chitosan provided total kill of 10(8)-10(9) colony forming units (CFU/mL) of E. coli (gram-negative bacteria) and S. aureus (gram-positive bacteria) in 10 and 60 min, respectively. SEM observations demonstrated that the chlorinated chitosan effectively prevented the formation of bacterial biofilms. The antimicrobial activity and bio film controlling function were stable for longer than 1 month; when the functions were lost due to extensive use and/or prolonged storage, they could be readily recharged by another bleach treatment. The antimicrobial mechanism was also discussed.