The Effect of the Phenolic Antibacterial Agent Fentichlor on Energy Coupling in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Summary. Experimental evidence indicates that inhibition of active transport is responsible for the bacteriostatic action of Fentichlor against Staphylococcus aureus. Fentichlor inhibits active transport and assimilation of glutamic acid, and assimilation of glucose under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, but inhibition of assimilation results mainly from inhibition of accumulation rather than direct action on the assimilation process. In the absence of glucose, Fentichlor dissipates the membrane proton gradient and ATP pool but, with glucose present, ATP synthesis is unaffected and although some acceleration of proton translocation occurs, only partial dissipation of the gradient results. Results indicate that Fentichlor‐mediated proton translocation prevents coupling of membrane proton movements to active transport as postulated by the chemiosmotic hypothesis. Fentichlor partially inhibits glycolysis and anaerobic ATP synthesis which may contribute to bacteriostasis under anaerobic conditions.

Bacterial target sites for biocide action

“…1977). Further evidence of dissipation of the PMF has been investigated with the bisphenols fentichlor and triclosan (Bloomfield 1974) and cationic compounds, such as CTAB that has been shown to discharge the membrane potential component (Denyer and Hugo 1977). Polyhexamethylene biguanide not only causes membrane leakage but its effects are also consistent with patterns of respiratory enzyme inhibition (Broxton et al .…”

The mechanism of action of chlorhexidine

“…The proton conduction system used here was similar to that used by other workers [7,8]. Several known uncouplers were used: tribrominated salicylanilide (TBS) and dinitrophenol (DNP) as well as CHX and polymyxin B.…”

Potential Impact of Increased Use of Biocides in Consumer Products on Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance

“…Additionally, DNA biosynthesis is slowed relative to general anabolism in the cell at sub-MICs (93). Membrane-active phenolic molecules, such as tetrachlorsalicylanilide and fentichlor, also act as uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation at concentrations that inhibit cell growth (28,106).…”