A chemotaxonomic appraisal of the distribution of lipomannans within the genus Micrococcus |
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Authors: | Iain C Sutcliffe Grace Alderson |
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Institution: | Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Life Sciences Building, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5222, USA; Division of International Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA |
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Abstract: | Abstract Bactericidal effects of polylysine on different bacterial species were measured. Marked differences in sensitivity were observed. Based on the concentration of polylysine required to reduce cell viability by 50%, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were found to be the most sensitive and Escherichia coli the most resistant. In addition, two Gram-positive organisms, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus salivarius exhibited significant differences in sensitivity which suggests that the relationship between sensitivity towards polylysine and bacterial cell type is not necessarily a function of the overall cell envelope structure. The high sensitivity of mycobacteria suggests the possible use of polylysine. or a conjugate of polylysine and another agent in anti-mycobacterial drug design. |
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Keywords: | Polylysine Bactericidal Mycobacterium tuberculosis |
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