Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology
Abstract
[Objective ] This study explored the effects of critical environmental factors [water activity (aw),pH,and temperature ] on the antimicrobial activity of ε-poly- L-lysine (ε-PL),aiming to provide a basis for the application of ε-PL.[Method ] With Staphylococcus aureus as an indicator strain,the micro-broth dilution and agar dilution methods as well as antimicrobial growth kinetics were utilized to determine the antimicrobial activity of ε-PL.The protein leakage assay was employed to evaluate the bacterial membrane disruption activity of ε-PL.Live/Dead fluorescence staining was performed to observe the bacterial membrane permeability.[Result ] The minimum inhibitory mass concentration (MIC ) of ε-PL against Staphylococcus aureus was 40.0 μg/mL.The agar dilution method results indicated that the antimicrobial activity of ε-PL increased with the increase in aw. Additionally,ε-PL demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity at pH 5.0~7.0,moderate antimicrobial activity at pH 4.0,weak antimicrobial activity at pH 8.0,and no antimicrobial activity at pH 9.0,while the maximum antimicrobial activity of ε-PL occurred at 30 ℃ under neutral conditions.The antimicrobial kinetic results showed that the antimicrobial efficacy of ε-PL under different pH conditions was consistent with the agar dilution method results,with strong inhibitory effects at 25 ℃ and 30 ℃ under neutral conditions.ε-PL had strong membrane disruption activity on Staphylococcus aureus under weakly acidic to neutral conditions (pH 5.0~7.0),and the membrane disruption activity of ε-PL was more pronounced at low temperatures (25~30 ℃) and weak at high temperatures (30~35 ℃).The Live/Dead fluorescence staining showed that the bacterial membrane permeability was enhanced by ε-PL at pH 4.0,while little effect was observed at pH 9.0.[Conclusion ] The e nvironmental factors aw,pH,and temperature demonstrate significant influences on the antimicrobial activity of ε-PL.
Publication Date
10-15-2025
First Page
113
Last Page
121
DOI
10.12441/spyswjs.20240813002
Recommended Citation
LIU, Zhenjie; HUANG, Peihao; CHEN, Shu; RONG, Shun; PENG, Feiting; CHEN, Ling; and GUO, Weipeng
(2025)
"Effects of Critical Environmental Factors on the Antimicrobial Activity of ε-Poly- L-lysine,"
Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology: Vol. 44:
Iss.
10, Article 12.
DOI: 10.12441/spyswjs.20240813002
Available at:
https://spsw.spyswjs.cnjournals.com/journal/vol44/iss10/12
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