ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a natural antimicrobial cationic peptide. Antimicrobial activity of ε-PL is closely related to its molecular weight (Mw). However, the antimicrobial mechanisms of ε-PL with different Mws are still vague. In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as the model system to analyze the mechanism from these three aspects: cell wall, cell membrane, and metabolism. The results showed that high-Mw ε-PL (1-3 kDa and >3 kDa) and commercial ε-PL product caused cell wall lesions, and significantly improved cell membrane permeability compared to low-Mw ε-PL (<1 kDa), resulting in leaking of the protoplasm through the pores and cell death. Furthermore, metabolomics analysis showed that high-Mw ε-PL (1-3 kDa and >3 kDa) and product displayed higher inhibition effect on the glycolysis pathway and tricarboxylic cycle than that of low-Mw ε-PL (<1 kDa).

中文翻译：

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不同分子量ε-聚-L-赖氨酸对酿酒酵母的抗真菌作用机制

ε-聚-L-赖氨酸 (ε-PL) 是一种天然抗菌阳离子肽。ε-PL 的抗菌活性与其分子量 (Mw) 密切相关。然而，具有不同 Mws 的 ε-PL 的抗菌机制仍不明确。本研究以酿酒酵母为模型系统，从细胞壁、细胞膜、代谢三个方面分析其作用机制。结果表明，与低分子量 ε-PL（<1 kDa）相比，高分子量 ε-PL（1-3 kDa 和 >3 kDa）和商业 ε-PL 产品引起细胞壁损伤，并显着提高细胞膜通透性，导致原生质通过孔隙泄漏和细胞死亡。此外，代谢组学分析表明，高 Mw ε-PL（1-3 kDa 和 >