Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India.
J Phys Chem Lett. 2024 Jul 11;15(27):7075-7083. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01066. Epub 2024 Jul 1.
The bactericidal potency of ionic liquids (ILs) is well-established, yet their precise mechanism of action remains elusive. Here, we show evidence that the bactericidal action of ILs primarily involves the permeabilization of the bacterial cell membrane. Our findings reveal that ILs exert their effects by directly interacting with the lipid bilayer and enhancing the membrane dynamics. Lateral lipid diffusion is accelerated, which in turn augments membrane permeability, ultimately leading to bacterial death. Furthermore, our results establish a significant connection: an increase in the alkyl chain length of ILs correlates with a notable enhancement in both lipid lateral diffusion and antimicrobial potency. This underscores a compelling correlation between membrane dynamics and antimicrobial effectiveness, providing valuable insights for the rational design and optimization of IL-based antimicrobial agents in healthcare applications.
离子液体（ILs）的杀菌效力是众所周知的，但它们的确切作用机制仍难以捉摸。在这里，我们提供的证据表明，ILs 的杀菌作用主要涉及细菌细胞膜的通透性。我们的研究结果表明，ILs 通过直接与脂质双层相互作用并增强膜动力学来发挥作用。侧向脂质扩散加速，从而增加膜通透性，最终导致细菌死亡。此外，我们的结果建立了一个重要的联系：ILs 的烷基链长度的增加与脂质侧向扩散和抗菌效力的显著增强密切相关。这突显了膜动力学和抗菌效果之间的强烈相关性，为基于 IL 的抗菌剂在医疗保健应用中的合理设计和优化提供了有价值的见解。
