Abstract
Aim. Characteristic of morpho-functional reaction of Listeria monocytogenes bacterial cells to the effect of cationic peptide nisin. Materials and methods. Culture of L. monocytogenes 88-BK bacterial cells was grown in the presence of nisin (experiment) and without it (control). The samples obtained were studied by atomic-force microscopy method in contact mode by using scanning probe of SMM-2000 microscope. Study of elastic properties of bacterial cells was carried out by using AFM in force spectroscopy mode. Results. Microorganisms grown in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotic were characterized by changes in cell morphology and mechanical properties that were recorded by using AFM as changes in size parameters of bacteria, visualized local lesions of surface with the increase of its roughness as well as decrease of mechanical durability of the cell wall. Conclusion. Use of atomic-force microscopy allows to detail mechanisms of biological activity of cationic peptide nisin on gram-positive bacteria, evaluate specter of changes of cell morphological and mechanical parameters that took place and were analyzed in the conditions close to native.
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