Lactic Acid Permeabilizes Gram-Negative Bacteria by Disrupting the Outer Membrane
Open accessAbstract
The effect of lactic acid on the outer membrane permeability of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was studied utilizing a fluorescent-probe uptake assay and sensitization to bacteriolysis. For control purposes, similar assays were performed with EDTA (a permeabilizer acting by chelation) and with hydrochloric acid, the latter at pH values corresponding to those yielded by lactic acid, and also in the presence of KCN. Already 5 mM (pH 4.0) lactic acid caused prominent permeabilization in each species, the effect in the fluorescence assay being stronger than that of EDTA or HCl. Similar results were obtained in the presence of KCN, except for P. aeruginosa , for which an increase in the effect of HCl was observed in the presence of KCN. The permeabilization by lactic and hydrochloric acid was partly abolished by MgCl 2 . Lactic acid sensitized E. coli and serovar Typhimurium to the lytic action of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) more efficiently than did HCl, whereas both acids sensitized P. aeruginosa to SDS and to Triton X-100. P. aeruginosa was effectively sensitized to lysozyme by lactic acid and by HCl. Considerable proportions of lipopolysaccharide were liberated from serovar Typhimurium by these acids; analysis of liberated material by electrophoresis and by fatty acid analysis showed that lactic acid was more active than EDTA or HCl in liberating lipopolysaccharide from the outer membrane. Thus, lactic acid, in addition to its antimicrobial property due to the lowering of the pH, also functions as a permeabilizer of the gram-negative bacterial outer membrane and may act as a potentiator of the effects of other antimicrobial substances.
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Vinegar contains different organic acids that enter through bacterial membrane inciting internal pH decrease, protonation of macromolecules, and destabilization of the cell membrane by liberation of proton H+.
“Vinegar contains different organic acids that enter through bacterial membrane inciting internal pH decrease, protonation of macromolecules, and destabilization of the cell membrane by liberation of proton H+ (Figure 2) [100,101,102].”
From Fruits Vinegar: Quality Characteristics, Phytochemistry, and Functionality (2021) · cites this paper as [100]
The opening section says undissociated lactic acid can penetrate the cytoplasmic membrane and lower intracellular pH. The Discussion reports lactic-acid disruption of the outer membrane and proposes protonation of its anionic components as a mechanism. The paper does not establish that vinegar contains different organic acids with all these effects, or that protonation of intracellular macromolecules causes the membrane destabilization described in the claim. Page numbers were not supplied for these passages. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPositively charged bacteriocins integrate into the negatively charged pathogenic envelope, induce pore formation, loss of osmotic turgor, expulsion of cytoplasmic constituents, lysis, and eradication.
“Concurrently, the integration of positively charged probiotic bacteriocins into the negatively charged pathogenic envelope induces severe pore formation. This abrupt loss of osmotic turgor pressure inevitably leads to the catastrophic expulsion of essential cytoplasmic constituents (including ATP and nucleic acids) culminating in the irreversible cellular wrinkling, extensive lysis, and definitive”
From Probiotic potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus TMPC 41127 isolated from traditional cheese in inhibiting Salmonella Typhi biofilms and virulence genes (2026) · cites this paper as [67]
The Discussion reports indications that high concentrations of lactic acid sensitize gram-negative bacteria to bacteriocins such as nisin. It does not describe positively charged bacteriocins integrating into a negatively charged envelope or causing pores, turgor loss, cytoplasmic expulsion, wrinkling, or lysis. Page numbers are not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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- Authors
- Alakomi, H.-L., Skyttä, E., Saarela, M., Mattila-Sandholm, T., Latva-Kala, K., & Helander, I. M.
- Affiliations
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (FI)
- <!--label omitted: 1-->VTT Biotechnology, FIN-02044 VTT, Espoo, Finland
- Venue
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Published
- 2000-05
- Volume
- 66
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 2001-2005
- ISSN
- 0099-2240 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-5336
- PMC
- PMC101446
- OpenAlex
- W2147161211
- Cited by
- 1,093
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 59 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 65 · 2022: 65 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 62 · 2019: 70 · 2018: 56 · 2017: 64 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 52 · 2014: 52 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 43
- FWCI
- 6.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Escherichia coli research studies
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Antimicrobial agents and applications
- Keywords
- lactic acid, outer membrane permeabilization, Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, lipopolysaccharide release, lysozyme sensitivity, sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, EDTA, hydrochloric acid, potassium cyanide, magnesium chloride, low pH
- MeSH terms
- Cell Membrane, Cell Membrane Permeability, Edetic Acid, Escherichia coli, Gram-Negative Bacteria, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Kinetics, Potassium Cyanide, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Lactic Acid, Salmonella enterica
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