Open AccessMode of Action of Polymyxin B: Physiological Studies with a Bacillus subtilis -Resistant Mutant
Author(s) -
Alessandro Galizzi,
Giovanni Cacco,
Antonio G. Siccardi,
G. Mazza
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.8.3.366
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , lysozyme , polymyxin , polymyxin b , lytic cycle , microbiology and biotechnology , mutant , bacterial cell structure , escherichia coli , mode of action , cell wall , bacterial outer membrane , lysis , biology , cell membrane , chemistry , biochemistry , bacteria , cell , antibiotics , immunology , virus , genetics , gene
Polymyxin B resistance inBacillus subtilis can be suppressed by the synergistic action of lysozyme or of an analogous cell wall lytic activity released byB. subtilis spores during germination.Such a synergistic effect is probably due to partial cell-wall digestion by lysozyme that allows polymyxin to reach its site of action and is therefore distinct from the analogous synergistic effect described by other authors inEscherichia coli . In the latter case polymyxin B probably damaged the outer membrane, allowing lysozyme to reach and digest the cell wall.