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Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Analysis of the Lipid Composition of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatography
Published on: April 16, 2021
Indolylalkyltriphenylphosphonium Analogues Are Membrane-Depolarizing Mycobactericidal Agents
Ming Li1, Samuel A Nyantakyi2, Pooja Gopal1
1Department of Medicine and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228.
Abstract:
Agents that selectively target the mycobacterial membrane could potentially shorten treatment time for tuberculosis, reduce relapse, and curtail emergence of resistant strains. The lipophilicity and extensive charge-delocalized state of the triphenylphosphonium cation strongly favor accumulation within bacterial membranes. Here, we explored the antimycobacterial activities and membrane-targeting properties of indolylalkyltriphenylphosphonium analogues. The most active analogues preferentially inhibited growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (MIC50 2-4 μM) and were bactericidal against Mycobacterium bovis BCG (MBC99 3 μM). In spite of their propensity to accumulate within membranes, we found no evidence that these compounds permeabilized mycobacterial membranes or induced cell-envelope stress. Our investigations indicated that their bacterical effects stem from sustained depolarization of mycobacterial membranes and ensuing disruptive effects on electron transfer and cell division.
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