Meeting Abstract
The stratum corneum (SC) is the most superficial layer of skin, and is composed of several layers of flattened dead cells called corneocytes embedded in a lipid matrix. These lipids are known to play a critical role in regulating cutaneous water loss. However, these lipids may also play a role in regulating bacterial composition of the SC, as many lipids exhibit antimicrobial activity. In this study, we assessed the antimicrobial activity of lipid extracts of known composition taken from the SC of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). We used bacterial assays to measure minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of these lipids against several species of bacteria common on the avian epidermis including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus licheniformis. We found that the antimicrobial activity of lipids depends on fatty acid composition and the target bacteria. Our results clarify the role of lipids in regulating bacterial community composition on bird skin.
