Biophysical studies of the interactions between the phage varphiKZ gp144 lytic transglycosylase and model membranes (original) (raw)

European biophysics journal : EBJ, 2010

Abstract

The use of naturally occurring lytic bacteriophage proteins as specific antibacterial agents is a promising way to treat bacterial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The opportunity to develop bacterial resistance to these agents is minimized by their broad mechanism of action on bacterial membranes and peptidoglycan integrity. In the present study, we have investigated lipid interactions of the gp144 lytic transglycosylase from the Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage varphiKZ. Interactions with zwitterionic lipids characteristic of eukaryotic cells and with anionic lipids characteristic of bacterial cells were studied using fluorescence, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, circular dichroism, Langmuir monolayers, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). Gp144 interacted preferentially with anionic lipids, and the presence of gp144 in anionic model systems induced membrane disruption and lysis. Lipid domain formation in anionic membranes was ob...

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