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Published on: March 2, 2020
Antimicrobial activity of water-soluble triazole phenazine clickamers against E. coli
Steven C Hayden1, Jonathan J Bryant, Megan A Mackey
1Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 270, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany), Fax: (+49) 6221548401; School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0400 (USA).
Abstract:
The antimicrobial potency of phenazine derivatives is attenuated by their inherently hydrophobic nature, complicating their use as antibiotic drugs. We have analyzed the cytotoxicity and mode of action of water-soluble bis-triazolyl phenazines against E. coli and a human epithelial (HaCat) cell line. We observed complete inhibition of bacterial growth over concentration ranges that do not affect the viability of human epithelial cells. Confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed a high degree of interaction between the phenazine compounds and E. coli, as well as evidence of membrane damage in phenazine-treated E. coli. Additional data suggests that the potency of these particular water-soluble phenazine compounds does not result from the production of reactive oxygen species, but rather from cytotoxic interference with metabolic electron-transfer cascades.
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