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Interactions of protamine with the marine bacterium, P seudoalteromonas sp. NCIMB 2021
Author(s) -
Pustam A.,
Smith C.,
Deering C.,
Grosicki K.M.T.,
Leng T.Y.,
Lin S.,
Yang J.,
Pink D.,
Gill T.,
Graham L.,
Derksen D.,
Bishop C.,
DeMont M.E.,
Wyeth R.C.,
SmithPalmer T.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/lam.12177
Subject(s) - protamine , pseudoalteromonas , bacteria , divalent , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , biochemistry , marine bacteriophage , chemistry , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics , organic chemistry , heparin
Pseudoalteromonas sp. NCIMB 2021 ( NCIMB 2021) was grown in synthetic seawater ( SSW ) containing pyruvate, in the presence ( SSW ++ ) and absence ( SSW – ) of divalent cations. Cultures contained single cells. Addition of the cationic antibacterial peptide ( CAP ), protamine, did not inhibit, but rather increased, the growth of NCIMB 2021 in SSW ++ and caused the bacteria to grow in chains. Bacterial growth was assessed using turbidity, cell counts and the sodium salt of resazurin. In SSW − , NCIMB 2021 was no longer resistant to protamine. The minimum inhibitory concentration ( MIC ) was 5 mg ml −1 . Significance and Impact of the Study Protamine is a cationic antimicrobial peptide ( CAP ), which is active against a variety of bacteria. This is the first in‐depth study of the interaction of protamine with a marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas sp. NCIMB 2021. Our results show that protamine is only active in seawater in the absence of divalent cations. In the presence of the divalent cations, Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ , protamine enhances the growth of Pseudoalteromonas sp. NCIMB 2021 and produces chains rather than individual cells. These are important considerations when deciding on applications for protamine and in terms of understanding its mechanism of action.