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Akif FA, Mahmoud M, Prasad B, Richter P, Azizullah A, Qasim M, Anees M, Krüger M, Gastiger S, Burkovski A, Strauch SM, Lebert M. Polyethylenimine Increases Antibacterial Efficiency of Chlorophyllin. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11101371. [PMID: 36290029 PMCID: PMC9598908 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11101371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyethylenimines (PEIs), a group of polycationic molecules, are known to impair the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and exhibit antimicrobial activity. The outer membrane of Gram-negative strains hinders the uptake of photosensitizer chlorophyllin. In this study, we report chlorophyllin and branched PEI combinations’ activity against Escherichia coli strains DH5α and RB791, Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium LT2, and Bacillus subtilis 168. The minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) was determined by plating cells treated with different concentrations of PEI and chlorophyllin on agar and monitoring their growth after 24 h. All tested combinations of PEI and chlorophyllin were lethal for S. enterica after 240 min of incubation in light, whereas PEI alone (<100 µg mL−1) was ineffective. In the darkness, complete inhibition was noted with a combination of ≥2.5 µg mL−1 chlorophyllin and 50 µg mL−1 PEI. If applied alone, PEI alone of ≥800 µg mL−1 of PEI was required to completely inactivate E. coli DH5α cells in light, whereas with ≥5 µg mL−1 chlorophyllin, only ≥100 µg mL−1 PEI was needed. No effect was detected in darkness with PEI alone. However, 1600 µg mL−1 PEI in combination with 2.5 µg mL−1 resulted in complete inactivation after 4 h dark incubation. PEI alone did not inhibit E. coli strain RB791, while cells were inactivated when treated with 10 µg mL−1 chlorophyllin in combination with ≥100 µg mL−1 (in light) or ≥800 µg mL−1 PEI (in darkness). Under illumination, B. subtilis was inactivated at all tested concentrations. In the darkness, 1 µg mL−1 chlorophyllin and 12.5 µg mL−1 PEI were lethal for B. subtilis. Overall, PEI can be used as an antimicrobial agent or potentiating agent for ameliorating the antimicrobial activity of chlorophyllin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faheem Ahmad Akif
- Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), Kohat 26000, Pakistan
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Cell Biology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mona Mahmoud
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Cell Biology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Dairy Department (Microbiology Lab.), National Research Centre, Cairo 12622, Egypt
- Department of Biology, Microbiology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Binod Prasad
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Cell Biology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Richter
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Cell Biology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Correspondence: (P.R.); (M.Q.)
| | - Azizullah Azizullah
- Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), Kohat 26000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Qasim
- Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), Kohat 26000, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (P.R.); (M.Q.)
| | - Muhammad Anees
- Department of Microbiology, Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), Kohat 26000, Pakistan
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Environmental Cell Biology Group, Department of Microgravity and Translational Regenerative Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Gastiger
- Department of Biology, Microbiology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Burkovski
- Department of Biology, Microbiology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian M. Strauch
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, University of Joinville Region, Joinville 89219-710, SC, Brazil
| | - Michael Lebert
- Gravitational Biology Group, Department of Biology, Cell Biology Division, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Space Biology Unlimited S.A.S., 33000 Bordeaux, France
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