Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 17, 2026

A Semi-High-Throughput Adaptation of the NADH-Coupled ATPase Assay for Screening Small Molecule Inhibitors
10:28

A Semi-High-Throughput Adaptation of the NADH-Coupled ATPase Assay for Screening Small Molecule Inhibitors

Published on: August 17, 2019

10.7K

ATP exhibits antimicrobial action by inhibiting bacterial utilization of ferric ions

Yutaka Tatano1, Yuichi Kanehiro1, Chiaki Sano1

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.

Scientific Reports
|February 26, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) directly inhibits bacterial growth by chelating iron, enhancing macrophage antimicrobial activity against intracellular pathogens. This suggests ATP

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is known to enhance macrophage antimycobacterial activity via P2X7 receptors.
  • The direct antimicrobial effects of ATP against intracellular bacteria remain largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the direct antimicrobial activity of ATP against various bacteria, including mycobacteria.
  • To elucidate the mechanism underlying ATP's antibacterial action.
  • To explore ATP's potential as an adjunctive therapeutic agent.

Main Methods:

  • ATP susceptibility testing on wild-type and enterobactin-deficient (entB(-)) Klebsiella pneumoniae mutants.
  • Assessment of ATP's effect on bacterial surface structures.
  • Evaluation of ATP's combined effects with antimicrobials against resistant strains.

Main Results:

  • ATP inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and mycobacteria without damaging bacterial surfaces.
  • An enterobactin-deficient mutant of Klebsiella pneumoniae regained susceptibility to ATP, indicating iron chelation as the mechanism.
  • ATP demonstrated synergistic effects with certain antimicrobials against MRSA and M. intracellulare.

Conclusions:

  • ATP possesses direct antibacterial activity mediated by its iron-chelating properties.
  • Intracellular ATP may contribute to macrophage defense against pathogens within the cytosol and autophagosomes.
  • ATP shows promise as an adjunctive therapy for intractable infections, including those caused by MRSA.

More Related Videos

Quantitative Examination of Antibiotic Susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Aggregates Using ATP-utilization Commercial Assays and Live/Dead Staining08:04

Quantitative Examination of Antibiotic Susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Aggregates Using ATP-utilization Commercial Assays and Live/Dead Staining

Published on: February 8, 2019

9.2K
Bio-layer Interferometry for Measuring Kinetics of Protein-protein Interactions and Allosteric Ligand Effects13:57

Bio-layer Interferometry for Measuring Kinetics of Protein-protein Interactions and Allosteric Ligand Effects

Published on: February 18, 2014

30.6K

Related Concept Videos

Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
15.5K
The Electron Transport Chain01:30

The Electron Transport Chain

The electron transport chain or oxidative phosphorylation is an exothermic process in which free energy released during electron transfer reactions is coupled to ATP synthesis. This process is a significant source of energy in aerobic cells, and therefore inhibitors of the electron transport chain can be detrimental to the cell's metabolic processes.
Inhibitors of the electron transport chain
Rotenone, a widely used pesticide, prevents electron transfer from Fe-S cluster to ubiquinone or Q...
21.8K
ATP Synthase: Mechanism01:48

ATP Synthase: Mechanism

In animals, the mitochondrial F1F0 ATP synthase is the key protein that synthesizes ATP molecules through a complex catalytic mechanism. While the nuclear genome encodes the majority of ATP synthase subunits, the mitochondrial genome encodes some of the enzyme's most critical components. The formation of this multi-subunit enzyme is a complex multi-step process regulated at the level of transcription, translation, and assembly. Defects in one or more of these steps can result in decreased...
19.1K
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...
81
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...
2.1K
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles01:24

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
73