Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids
Published on: May 4, 2018
Antibacterial Activity of Alanine-Derived Gemini Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
Agata Piecuch1, Ewa Obłąk1, Katarzyna Guz-Regner1
1Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland.
Abstract:
The antibacterial activity of alanine-derived gemini quaternary ammonium salts (chlorides and bromides) with various spacer and alkyl chain lengths was investigated. The studied compounds exhibited a strong bactericidal effect, especially bromides with 10 and 12 carbon alkyl chains and 3 carbon spacer groups (TMPAL-10 Br and TMPAL-12 Br), with a short contact time. Both salts dislodged biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and were lethal to adherent cells of S. epidermidis. Bromide with 2 carbon spacer groups and 12 carbon alkyl chains (TMEAL-12 Br) effectively reduced microbial adhesion by coating polystyrene and silicone surfaces. The results obtained suggest that, after further studies, gemini QAS might be considered as antimicrobial agents in medicine or industry.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis
Antimicrobial Effectiveness
Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
Preparation of Amines: Alkylation of Ammonia and Amines
Each alkylation step makes the nitrogen center more nucleophilic, which triggers successive alkylations until a quaternary ammonium salt is formed. Considering...
Physical Properties of Amines

