Biological activity of quaternary ammonium salts and resistance of microorganisms to these compounds.
Quaternary ammonium salts (QASs) are ubiquitous in nature, being found in organisms ranging from microorganisms to vertebrates (e.g., glycine betaine, carnitine) where they have important cellular functions. QASs are also obtained by chemical synthesis. These compounds, due to their diverse chemical structure (e.g. monomeric QAS or gemini) and their biological properties, are widely used in medicine (as disinfectants, drugs, and DNA carriers), industry, environmental protection and agriculture (as preservatives, biocides, herbicides and fungicides). Discussed chemical compounds reduce the adhesion of microorganisms to various biotic and abiotic surfaces and cause the eradication of biofilms produced by pathogenic microorganisms. The properties of these chemicals depend on their chemical structure (length of the alkyl chain, linker and counterion), which has a direct impact on the physicochemical and biological activity of these compounds. QASs by incorporation into the membranes, inhibit the activity of proteins (H+-ATPase) and disrupt the transport of substances to the cell. Moreover, in the presence of QASs, changes in lipid composition (qualitative and quantitative) of plasma membrane are observed. The widespread use of disinfectants in commercial products can induce resistance in microorganisms to these surfactants and even to antibiotics. In this article we discuss the biological activity of QASs as cationic surfactants against microorganisms and their resistance to these compounds.
['Obłąk|Ewa|E|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1433-1527', 'Futoma-Kołoch|Bożena|B|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1484-5912', 'Wieczyńska|Anna|A|https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9569-900X']
D001419:Bacteria D018441:Biofilms D004202:Disinfectants D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial D005227:Fatty Acids D006540:Herbicides D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds D012492:Salts D013501:Surface-Active Agents
Resistance Microorganism Quaternary ammonium salts (QASs) Adhesion Eradication