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KMID : 0545120080180101729
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Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
2008 Volume.18 No. 10 p.1729 ~ p.1734
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Investigation of the Antifungal Activity and Mechanism of Action of LMWS-Chitosan
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Park Yoon-Kyung
Kim Mi-Hyun
Park Seong-Cheol
Cheong Hyeon-Sook
Jang Mi-Kyeong
Nah Jae-Woon
Hahm Kyung-Soo
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Abstract
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Chitosan, a cationic polysaccharide, has been widely used as a dietary supplement and in a variety of pharmacological and biomedical applications. The antifungal activity and mechanism of action of low molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (LMWS-chitosan) were studied in fungal cells and vesicles containing various compositions of fungal lipids. LMWS-chitosan showed strong antifungal activity against various pathogenic yeasts and hyphae-forming fungi but no hemolytic activity or cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. The degree of calcein leakage was assessed on the basis of lipid composition (PC/CH; 10:1, w/w). Our result showing that LMWS-chitosan interacts with liposomes demonstrated that chitosan induces leakage from zwitterionic lipid vesicles. Confocal microscopy revealed that LMWSchitosan was located in the plasma membrane. Finally, scanning electron microscopy revealed that LMWS-chitosan causes significant morphological changes on fungal surfaces. Its potent antibiotic activity suggests that LMWS-chitosan is an excellent candidate as a lead compound for the development of novel anti-infective agents.
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KEYWORD
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LMWS-chitosan, antifungal activity, confocal microscopy, electron microscopy
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