Using colistin as a trojan horse: Inactivation of gram-negative bacteria with chlorophyllin

Richter P, Krüger M, Prasad B, Gastiger S, Bodenschatz M, Wieder F, Burkovski A, Geißdörfer W, Lebert M, Strauch SM (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Antibiotics MDPI

Book Volume: 8

Article Number: 158

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics8040158

Abstract

Colistin (polymyxin E) is a membrane-destabilizing antibiotic used against Gram-negative bacteria. We have recently reported that the outer membrane prevents the uptake of antibacterial chlorophyllin into Gram-negative cells. In this study, we used sub-toxic concentrations of colistin to weaken this barrier for a combination treatment of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium with chlorophyllin. In the presence of 0.25 µg/mL colistin, chlorophyllin was able to inactivate both bacteria strains at concentrations of 5-10 mg/L for E. coli and 0.5-1 mg/L for S. Typhimurium, which showed a higher overall susceptibility to chlorophyllin treatment. In accordance with a previous study, chlorophyllin has proven antibacterial activity both as a photosensitizer, illuminated with 12 mW/cm2, and in darkness. Our data clearly confirmed the relevance of the outer membrane in protection against xenobiotics. Combination treatment with colistin broadens chlorophyllin’s application spectrum against Gram-negatives and gives rise to the assumption that chlorophyllin together with cell membrane-destabilizing substances may become a promising approach in bacteria control. Furthermore, we demonstrated that colistin acts as a door opener even for the photodynamic inactivation of colistin-resistant (mcr-1-positive) E. coli cells by chlorophyllin, which could help us to overcome this antimicrobial resistance.

Authors with CRIS profile

Peter Richter Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie Binod Prasad Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie Susanne Gastiger Professur für Mikrobiologie Mona Bodenschatz Professur für Mikrobiologie Andreas Burkovski Professur für Mikrobiologie Michael Lebert Lehrstuhl für Zellbiologie

Involved external institutions

Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg DE Germany (DE) Universidade da Região de Joinville (UNIVILLE) BR Brazil (BR)

How to cite

APA:

Richter, P., Krüger, M., Prasad, B., Gastiger, S., Bodenschatz, M., Wieder, F.,... Strauch, S.M. (2019). Using colistin as a trojan horse: Inactivation of gram-negative bacteria with chlorophyllin. Antibiotics, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics8040158

MLA:

Richter, Peter, et al. "Using colistin as a trojan horse: Inactivation of gram-negative bacteria with chlorophyllin." Antibiotics 8.4 (2019).

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