How do bile salts exert antimicrobial activity?

Answer 1

I'm still working on this one myself. Bile functions as a biological detergent that emulsifies and solubilizes lipids, thereby playing an essential role in fat digestion. This detergent property of bile also confers potent antimicrobial activity, primarily through the dissolution of bacterial membranes. Bile salts are bile acids that have been conjugated to glycine or taurine. Bile breaks down fat into a more soluble form for digestion. Cell membranes of bacteria are made of phospholipid bilayers (lipids make up fats) which can be compromised by the bile (therefore the protection given by the cell membrane is lost and the cell can easily lyse, lose its contents). Also, as the bile salt breaks down to acid form, this could also be harmful to some bacteria. There may be more, but that's how I understand it, so far.