Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY, sa.10.1002/jobm.202300551, ss.1-8, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Free‐living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are infected by various
bacteria in nature, and thus bacteria can protect themselves from adverse
environmental conditions. Contrary to this ameba–bacteria relationship
whether Acanthamoeba has antibacterial effects on bacteria is the different
aspect of the relationship between these microorganisms. In this study, we
investigate various Acanthamoeba strains have antibacterial effects on
various Staphylococcus strains. Three environmental Acanthamoeba
strains, isolated from various aquatic environments in Turkey, and
Acanthamoeba castellanii ATCC 50373 standard strains were used in the
study. The antistaphylococcal effect of cell‐free supernatant (CFS)
obtained from these amoebae against 12 different Staphylococcus bacteria
was investigated by colony counting method. In addition, the pathogenicity
of the tested Acanthamoeba strains was determined using osmotolerance
and thermotolerance tests. CFSs obtained from Acanthamoeba were
found to have varying degrees of antistaphylococcal effects on various
Staphylococcus strains (0%–100%). It was determined that the CFS of the
standard Acanthamoeba strain showed 100% inhibitory effect against one
clinical methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain (M2). Also, CFS
of Ugöl strain showed 99.97% inhibitory effect against one clinical
methicillin‐sensitive Staphylococcus epidermidis strain (L3). It was determined
that all Acanthamoeba isolates had no pathogenic potential.
According to the results, it has been observed that Acanthamoeba produces
antibacterial substance(s) against Staphylococcus bacteria and that the
ameba–bacteria relationship may also result in the detriment of the
bacteria. Furthermore, the current study indicates that new and natural
antimicrobial agents from Acanthamoeba can be used as an alternative to
infections caused by Staphylococcus.