Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis
07:16

Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis

Published on: September 20, 2024

Combined bactericidal activity of perfluorooctyl bromide and aminoglycosides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Rose Jung1, Susan L Pendland, Steven J Martin

  • 1The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, School of Pharmacy, Denver, USA.

The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
|December 4, 2002
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB) enhances aminoglycoside effectiveness against Pseudomonas aeruginosa by damaging cell walls. This combination shows greater antibacterial activity than either agent alone, suggesting potential for pneumonia treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB) is explored as a potential medium for antibiotic delivery.
  • Pneumonia treatment during liquid ventilation may benefit from novel drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the antibacterial activity of PFOB alone and with aminoglycosides.
  • To investigate the efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Main Methods:

  • Modified time-kill assays were employed to measure bacterial reduction over time.
  • Electron microscopy visualized the effects of PFOB and gentamicin on bacterial cell structure.

Main Results:

  • PFOB alone caused an immediate >90% reduction in bacterial inoculum.
  • Aminoglycosides with PFOB demonstrated enhanced bacteriostatic effects and significant cell wall damage.
  • Combined treatment showed additive damage compared to individual agents.

Conclusions:

  • PFOB impacts the cell wall of P. aeruginosa.
  • PFOB potentiates the antibacterial action of aminoglycosides.
  • The combination therapy exhibits superior antibacterial effects.

More Related Videos

The Synergistic Effect of Visible Light and Gentamycin on Pseudomona aeruginosa Microorganisms05:57

The Synergistic Effect of Visible Light and Gentamycin on Pseudomona aeruginosa Microorganisms

Published on: July 2, 2013

Use of Artificial Sputum Medium to Test Antibiotic Efficacy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Conditions More Relevant to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung07:46

Use of Artificial Sputum Medium to Test Antibiotic Efficacy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Conditions More Relevant to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

Published on: June 5, 2012

Related Concept Videos

Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis01:25

Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis

Aminoglycosides constitute a highly potent class of bactericidal antibiotics that exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, specifically disrupting protein synthesis. These polycationic molecules consist of amino-modified sugars linked via glycosidic bonds to an aminocyclitol core such as 2-deoxystreptamine or streptamine. Their strong positive charges facilitate tight binding to the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), primarily at the 16S...
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis01:23

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis

Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis01:28

Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis

Bacterial pathogens depend on precise and efficient DNA replication to sustain infection. Two type II topoisomerases—DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV—are critical to this process, as they resolve DNA supercoiling and unlink chromosomes during replication. Fluoroquinolones, synthetic derivatives of quinolones, exploit this mechanism by stabilizing the transient DNA–enzyme cleavage complex, preventing strand religation, and causing lethal double-strand breaks. These antibiotics are selectively...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...