PYRITHIONE BIOCIDES AS INHIBITORS OF BACTERIAL ATP SYNTHESIS

Sodium pyrithione and zinc pyrithione (NaPT and ZnPT, respectively) ar e widely used as cosmetic preservatives and general antimicrobial agen ts. They have been shown to be active against fungal cell walls, assoc iated membranes and bacterial transport processes. Investigations were undertaken into the effect of these antimicrobial agents on substrate catabolism and intracellular ATP levels using an oxygen electrode and luciferin-luciferase technology, respectively. Results indicate that, while both compounds are poor inhibitors of substrate catabolism, sub -inhibitory concentrations of biocide greatly reduces intracellular AT P levels in both Escherichia coli NCIMB 10000 and Pseudomonas aerugino sa NCIMB 10548. This is thought to be due to the action of NaPT and Zn PT on the Gram-negative bacterial membrane.