Classification of antimicrobial mechanism of action using dynamic bacterial morphology imaging

TY - JOUR

T1 - Classification of antimicrobial mechanism of action using dynamic bacterial morphology imaging

AU - Ouyang, Xudong

AU - Hoeksma, Jelmer

AU - Lubbers, Ronnie J M

AU - Siersma, Tjalling K

AU - Hamoen, Leendert W

AU - den Hertog, Jeroen

N1 - © 2022. The Author(s).

PY - 2022/7/1

Y1 - 2022/7/1

N2 - Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health. Basic knowledge of antimicrobial mechanism of action (MoA) is imperative for patient care and for identification of novel antimicrobials. However, the process of antimicrobial MoA identification is relatively laborious. Here, we developed a simple, quantitative time-lapse fluorescence imaging method, Dynamic Bacterial Morphology Imaging (DBMI), to facilitate this process. It uses a membrane dye and a nucleoid dye to track the morphological changes of single Bacillus subtilis cells in response to antimicrobials for up to 60 min. DBMI of bacterial cells facilitated assignment of the MoAs of 14 distinct, known antimicrobial compounds to the five main classes. We conclude that DBMI is a simple method, which facilitates rapid classification of the MoA of antimicrobials in functionally distinct classes.

AB - Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health. Basic knowledge of antimicrobial mechanism of action (MoA) is imperative for patient care and for identification of novel antimicrobials. However, the process of antimicrobial MoA identification is relatively laborious. Here, we developed a simple, quantitative time-lapse fluorescence imaging method, Dynamic Bacterial Morphology Imaging (DBMI), to facilitate this process. It uses a membrane dye and a nucleoid dye to track the morphological changes of single Bacillus subtilis cells in response to antimicrobials for up to 60 min. DBMI of bacterial cells facilitated assignment of the MoAs of 14 distinct, known antimicrobial compounds to the five main classes. We conclude that DBMI is a simple method, which facilitates rapid classification of the MoA of antimicrobials in functionally distinct classes.

KW - Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology

KW - Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology

KW - Bacillus subtilis

KW - Humans

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-022-15405-1

DO - 10.1038/s41598-022-15405-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 35778598

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 12

SP - 11162

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

ER -