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Efflux pumps inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes cells
Date Issued |
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2018 |
Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic foodborne Gram-positive pathogen causing serious human infections. These bacteria are widely distributed in the environment and are the third most common cause of death from food poisoning. Because of efflux pumps L. monocytogenes is a multidrug resistant pathogen, not sensitive to many antimicrobial compounds, including tetracycline, amoxicillin, benzalkonium chloride. Efflux pumps are membrane transporters which can extrude out of the cells various toxic compounds. Knowledge about the regulation of activity of these pumps could enhance the efficiency of treatment. One of ideas how to control the efflux is to use the pump inhibitors. Aim: To assessthe influence of potential inhibitors on the interaction of L. monocytogenes cells with efflux indicator Tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP+) ions and compare these results with the results of fluorimetric analysis. Materials and methods: TPP+ is universal efflux pump substrate in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Electrochemical analysis was used to follow the distribution of TPP+ ions between the cells and the incubation medium. We used well-known inhibitors of Gram-positive cell transporters, such as Chlorpromazine, Reserpine and Verapamil, to analyze the efflux activity in L. monocytogenes. In addition, we explored effects of Phe-Arg-β-naphthylamide (PAβN), which is known as an inhibitor of RND family pumpsin Gram-negative bacteria. Fluorescence measurements were made with other efflux pumps substrate Ethidium to assay the intensity of their activity.[...]
This study was supported by Research Council of Lithuania, funding grant No MIP-40/2015