The Structural Changes in the Membranes of Staphylococcus aureus Caused by Hydrolysable Tannins Witness Their Antibacterial Activity

• Published in: Membranes (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 11; p. 1124
• Main Authors: Olchowik-Grabarek, Ewa, Sękowski, Szymon, Kwiatek, Agnieszka, Płaczkiewicz, Jagoda, Abdulladjanova, Nodira, Shlyonsky, Vadim, Swiecicka, Izabela, Zamaraeva, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 10.11.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Antibacterial activity; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs); Bacterial vesicles; Dipole moments; Fluidity; Gallotannin; Glucose; Gram-positive bacteria; Hydrophobicity; Lipids; Membrane proteins; Membrane vesicles; Membranes; Molecular structure; Permeability; Polyphenols; Staphylococcus aureus; Tannins; Virulence; United States > US
• ISSN: 2077-0375; 2077-0375
• DOI: 10.3390/membranes12111124

Polyphenols, including tannins, are phytochemicals with pronounced antimicrobial properties. We studied the activity of two hydrolysable tannins, (i) gallotannin—1,2,3,4,5-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG) and (ii) ellagitannin—1,2-di-O-galloyl-4,6-valoneoyl-β-D-glucose (dGVG), applied alone and in combination with antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus strain 8324-4. We also evaluated the effect of these tannins on bacterial membrane integrity and fluidity and studied their interaction with membrane proteins and lipids. A correlation between the antimicrobial activity of the tannins and their membranotropic action depending on the tannin molecular structure has been demonstrated. We found that the antibacterial activity of PGG was stronger than dGVG, which can be associated with its larger flexibility, dipole moment, and hydrophobicity. In addition, we also noted the membrane effects of the tannins observed as an increase in the size of released bacterial membrane vesicles.