Open AccessTransmembrane diffusion of hydrophobic antimicrobial agents and cell surface hydrophobicity in Bacteroides fragilis
Author(s) -
Kobayashi Yoriko,
Kanazawa Katsunori,
Nishino Takeshi
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1991.tb04736.x
Subject(s) - bacteroides fragilis , antimicrobial , lysis , chemistry , transmembrane protein , cell membrane , microbiology and biotechnology , membrane , biophysics , biochemistry , biology , antibiotics , receptor
The transmembrane diffusion of hydrophobic antimicrobial agents, e.g. lincomycin and clindamycin, was examined in Bacteroides fragilis which is sensitive to these agents. The results showed that these agents penetrate efficiently through the outer membrane. Cell surface hydrophibicity measured by the partition assay between water and p ‐xylene revealed that the cell surface of B. fragilis is more hydrophobic than that of Salmonella typhimurium or Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Furthermore, treatment with low concentrations of surfactant caused cell lysis. These results suggest that the cell surface hydrophobicity in B. fragilis plays an important role in the efficient transmembrane penetration of hydrophobic compounds. This efficiency explains the susceptibility of B. fragilis to hydrophobic antimicrobial agents.