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Pyrithione biocides as inhibitors of bacterial ATP synthesis
Author(s) -
Dinning,
AlAdham,
Eastwood,
Austin,
Phillip J. Collier
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2672.1998.00478.x
Subject(s) - biocide , antimicrobial , efflux , intracellular , bacteria , chemistry , biochemistry , catabolism , pseudomonas aeruginosa , preservative , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , biology , enzyme , organic chemistry , genetics , gene
Sodium pyrithione and zinc pyrithione (NaPT and ZnPT, respectively) are widely used as cosmetic preservatives and general antimicrobial agents. They have been shown to be active against fungal cell walls, associated membranes and bacterial transport processes. Investigations were undertaken into the effect of these antimicrobial agents on substrate catabolism and intracellular ATP levels using an oxygen electrode and luciferin‐luciferase technology, respectively. Results indicate that, while both compounds are poor inhibitors of substrate catabolism, sub‐inhibitory concentrations of biocide greatly reduces intracellular ATP levels in both Escherichia coli NCIMB 10000 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIMB 10548. This is thought to be due to the action of NaPT and ZnPT on the Gram‐negative bacterial membrane.