Membrane viscosity is a major modulating factor of the enterocin CRL35 activity

MINAHK C; L. SAAVEDRA; F. SESMA; MORERO RD

BIOCHIMIE

ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER

Año: 2004 p. 181 - 186

0300-9084

Enterocin CRL35 activity is deeply influenced by the membrane viscosity as could be demonstrated performing determinations of theminimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) at different temperatures and analyzing the membrane viscosity in these cells as well as in resistantbacteria. In all the cases, bacteriocin activity was linked to higher levels of viscosity. This finding was confirmed studying the interaction ofenterocin CRL35 with liposomes composed of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine: dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (9:1) in both gel and liquid?crystalline phases. It could be establish, from peptide insertion analysis following the tryptophan fluorescence and microviscosity experimentsthat this peptide is able to interact more efficiently with membranes having a more structured hydrophobic core.