The Effect of Three Complexes of Iodine with Amino Acids on Gene Expression of Model Antibiotic Resistant Microorganisms ATCC BAA-196 and ATCC BAA-39.

UNLABELLED

BACKGROUND

Iodine is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial disinfectant for topical application. Recent studies have shown promising results on the applicability of an iodine-containing complex, FS-1, against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. It was hypothesized that the antimicrobial activity of iodine-containing complexes may be modulated by the organic moiety of the complex, i.e., amino acids. 2.

METHODS

Gene regulation and metabolic alterations were studied in two model multidrug-resistant microorganisms, ATCC BAA-39, and ATCC BAA-196, treated with three complexes containing iodine and three different amino acids: glycine, L-alanine, and L-isoleucine. The bacterial cultures were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of the complexes in the lagging and logarithmic growth phases. Gene regulation was studied by total RNA sequencing and differential gene expression analysis. 3.

RESULTS

The central metabolism of the treated bacteria was affected. An analysis of the regulation of genes involved in stress responses suggested the disruption of cell wall integrity, DNA damage, and oxidative stress in the treated bacteria. 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous studies showed that the application of iodine-containing complexes, such as FS-1, serves as a supplement to common antibiotics and can be a promising way to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Current results shed light on possible mechanisms of this action by disrupting the cell wall barriers and imposing oxidative stress. It was also found that the effect of the complexes on metabolic pathways varied in the tested microorganisms depending on the organic moiety of the complexes and the growth phase when the complexes had been applied.