THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF FATTY ACIDS AND THEIR MYCOBACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY

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  • KONDO EIKO
    <I>Department of Tuberculosis National Institute of Health</I>
  • KANAI KOOMI
    <I>The First Department of Bacteriology, Nationsl Institute of Health</I>

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  • Relationship Between the Chemical Struc

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Abstract

The bactericidal activity of long-chain fatty acids on mycobacteria was examined by exposing the organisms to these acids at 0.04 mM in 0.05 M acetate buffer (pH 5.6) . The lethal effect of saturated fatty acids was related to the chainlength of hydrocarbon, C14: 0 being the strongest in the activity and longer and shorter fatty acids being less active. Unsaturation, isomerism and the presence of α-hydroxy group were found to be other factors governing the activity. The lethal effect was greater in the order of C18: 3>C18: 2>C18: 1 (cis) >C18: 1 (trans) >α-OH C18: 0>C18: 0. C20: 4was placed between C18: 3and C18: 2in this respect. Esterification of C14: 0, C18: 1and C20: 4to methyl esters and cholesteryl esters abolished completely the bactericidal activity of these acids, suggesting the requirement of carboxyl group for the activity. The relationship between the fatty acid structure and the lethal effect was discussed in reference to these observations.

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