Abstract
Methanol extracts fromChlorococcum strain HS-101 andDunaliella primolecta strongly inhibited the growth of a strain of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is causing serious problems in Japanese hospitals. So that the anti-MRSA substance(s) could be purified and identified, the growth medium was improved for antibiotic production. When the two strains were cultured in their improved media, antibiotic production byChlorococcum strain HS-101 was 1.8-fold that in the standard BG-11 medium, and production byD. primolecta was 2.3-fold. The activity pattern of fractions eluted by silica-gel or gel-permeation chromatography suggested that both strains produced two antibiotic substances. Identification of the purified substances by NMR and GC-MS showed that one of the active substances in both strains wasα-linolenic acid. Ten fatty acids from other sources were tested, and it was found that unsaturated fatty acids had antibiotic activity against MRSA, with the highest activity that of γ-linolenic acid.
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Ohta, S., Shiomi, Y., Kawashima, A. et al. Antibiotic effect of linolenic acid fromChlorococcum strain HS-101 andDunaliella primolecta on methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus . J Appl Phycol 7, 121–127 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00693057
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00693057