Antimicrobial mechanisms against Acinetobacter calcoaceticus of rat polymorphonuclear leukocyte granule extract

The antimicrobial mechanisms of rat polymorphonuclear leukocyte granule extract and isolated extract fractions against Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were examined. Crude granule extract and a fraction containing low-molecular-weight cationic peptides (peak D) reduced the viability of A. calcoaceticus and inhibited the uptake of radiolabeled macromolecule precursors by cells. The inhibitory activity observed with peak D was not as great as that of crude granule extract containing equivalent amounts of peak D protein. Crude extract also inhibited incorporation of uracil into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material, while no isolated fraction, including peak D, had any substantial effect on incorporation. The antimicrobial activities of crude granule extract were more sensitive to boiling than those of isolated peak D. Preincubation of A. calcoaceticus with either crude granule extract or a fraction (peak B) possessing proteolytic activity but lacking any antimicrobial activity caused cells to become sensitive to a subinhibitory concentration of actinomycin D, suggesting that granule extract and peak B increase the outer membrane permeability of A. calcoaceticus. The antimicrobial granule extract fraction, peak D, did not affect outer membrane permeability. These results suggest that rat polymorphonuclear leukocyte granule extract reduces the viability of A. calcoaceticus by inhibiting the transport and incorporation of macromolecule precursors and that either whole granule extract is required for complete antimicrobial activity or an unidentified component is responsible for antimicrobial activity in addition to peak D. The granule extract activity that increases outer membrane permeability does not appear to be directly responsible for the observed decrease in viability.