HIGH-SENSITIVITY OF MYCOBACTERIUM SPECIES TO THE BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY BY POLYLYSINE

Bactericidal effects of polylysine on different bacterial species were measured. Marked differences in sensitivity were observed. Based on t he concentration of polylysine required to reduce cell viability by 50 %, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were found t o be the most sensitive and Escherichia coli the most resistant. In tw o Gram-positive organisms, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcu s salivarius exhibited significant differences in sensitivity which su ggests that the relationship between sensitivity towards polylysine an d bacterial cell type is not necessarily a function of the overall cel l envelope structure. The high sensitivity of mycobacteria suggests th e possible use of polylysine, or a conjugate of polylysine and another agent in anti-mycobacterial drug design.