Antibacterial activity of monoacetylated alkyl gallates against Xanthomonas citri subsp citri

Author(s)

Savietto, Abigail ^[1] ; Polaquini, Carlos Roberto ^[2] ; Kopacz, Malgorzata ^[3] ; Scheffers, Dirk-Jan ^[3] ; Marques, Beatriz Carvalho ^[2] ; Regasini, Luis Octavio ^[2] ; Ferreira, Henrique ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Dept Bioquim & Microbiol, Ave 24A, 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras & Ciencias Exatas, Dept Quim & Ciencias Ambientais, Rua Cristovao Colombo 2265, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Groningen, Groningen Biomol Sci & Biotechnol Inst, Dept Mol Microbiol, Nijenborgh 7, NL-9747 AG Groningen - Netherlands

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Archives of Microbiology; v. 200, n. 6, p. 929-937, AUG 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

Asiatic citrus canker (ACC) is an incurable disease of citrus plants caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (X. citri). It affects all the commercially important citrus varieties in the major orange producing areas around the world. Control of the pathogen requires recurrent sprays of copper formulations that accumulate in soil and water reservoirs. Here, we describe the improvement of the alkyl gallates, which are potent anti-X. citri compounds, intended to be used as alternatives to copper in the control of ACC. Acetylation of alkyl gallates increased their lipophilicity, which resulted in potentiation of the antibacterial activity. X. citri exposed to the acetylated compounds exhibited increased cell length that is consistent with the disruption of the cell division apparatus. Finally, we show that inhibition of cell division is an indirect effect that seemed to be caused by membrane permeabilization, which is apparently the primary target of the acetylated alkyl gallates. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50367-8 - New environmental-friendly compounds to combat citrus canker
• Grantee: Henrique Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/50880-0 - INCT 2014: comparative and functional genomics and citrus-assisted breeding
• Grantee: Marcos Antonio Machado
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants