Antibacterial activity of silver-killed bacteria: the "zombies" effect

作者:Wakshlak Racheli Ben Knaz; Pedahzur Rami; Avnir David*
来源:Scientific Reports, 2015, 5(1): 9555.
DOI:10.1038/srep09555

摘要

We report a previously unrecognized mechanism for the prolonged action of biocidal agents, which we denote as the ''zombies effect'': biocidally-killed bacteria are capable of killing living bacteria. The concept is demonstrated by first killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 with silver nitrate and then challenging, with the dead bacteria, a viable culture of the same bacterium: Efficient antibacterial activity of the killed bacteria is observed. A mechanism is suggested in terms of the action of the dead bacteria as a reservoir of silver, which, due to Le-Chatelier's principle, is re-targeted to the living bacteria. Langmuirian behavior, as well as deviations from it, support the proposed mechanism.

  • 出版日期2015-4-23