AUTHOR=Waite Ryan , Adams Candace T. , Chisholm David R. , Sims C. H. Cole , Hughes Joshua G. , Dias Eva , White Emily A. , Welsby Kathryn , Botchway Stanley W. , Whiting Andrew , Sharples Gary J. , Ambler Carrie A. TITLE=The antibacterial activity of a photoactivatable diarylacetylene against Gram-positive bacteria JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology VOLUME=14 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1243818 DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1243818 ISSN=1664-302X ABSTRACT=

The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to human health, and therefore, alternatives to existing compounds are urgently needed. In this context, a novel fluorescent photoactivatable diarylacetylene has been identified and characterised for its antibacterial activity, which preferentially eliminates Gram-positive over Gram-negative bacteria. Experiments confirmed that the Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide-rich outer surface is responsible for tolerance, as strains with reduced outer membrane integrity showed increased susceptibility. Additionally, bacteria deficient in oxidative damage repair pathways also displayed enhanced sensitivity, confirming that reactive oxygen species production is the mechanism of antibacterial activity. This new diarylacetylene shows promise as an antibacterial agent against Gram-positive bacteria that can be activated in situ, potentially for the treatment of skin infections.