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Purohit K, Pathak R, Hayes E, Sunna A. Novel bioactive peptides from ginger rhizome: Integrating in silico and in vitro analysis with mechanistic insights through molecular docking. Food Chem 2025; 484:144432. [PMID: 40279907 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.144432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2025] [Accepted: 04/19/2025] [Indexed: 04/29/2025]
Abstract
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is widely recognised for its functional benefits, primarily attributed to its diverse phytochemicals. However, its proteome remains largely unexplored. This study hypothesised that isolated peptides may exhibit different bioactivities or more targeted mechanisms of action and could be investigated at a molecular level. Proteins were enzymatically hydrolysed under five conditions, and peptides were identified using LC-MS/MS. In silico screening suggested antioxidant, ACE-inhibitory, and antibacterial properties, further assessed through molecular docking and in vitro validation. 41 potentially bioactive peptides were identified. In vitro assays confirmed these properties for selected peptides, P1 (GSPVWIIPEPT), P2 (FASYPVKK), P3 (GPEKIFYDGPYL), and P4 (IAISPSYPIK). Notably, P4 exhibited potent mixed-type ACE-inhibition and bacteriostatic effects. Molecular docking provided mechanistic insights into these interactions. These findings highlight ginger as a promising source of bioactive peptides while underscoring the need to complement AI tools with in vitro and in vivo validations due to observed discrepancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kruttika Purohit
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB), Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Rachana Pathak
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB), Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Evan Hayes
- Factors Group Australia, Sydney, NSW 2116, Australia
| | - Anwar Sunna
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB), Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
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2
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Sermkaew N, Atipairin A, Boonruamkaew P, Krobthong S, Aonbangkhen C, Uchiyama J, Yingchutrakul Y, Songnaka N. Novel Anti-MRSA Peptide from Mangrove-Derived Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33 Supported by Genomics and Molecular Dynamics. Mar Drugs 2025; 23:209. [PMID: 40422799 DOI: 10.3390/md23050209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2025] [Revised: 05/03/2025] [Accepted: 05/12/2025] [Indexed: 05/28/2025] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) being one of the major resistant pathogens. This study reports the isolation of a novel mangrove-derived bacterium, Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33, as identified through genome analysis and the discovery of a new anionic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) exhibiting anti-MRSA activity. The AMP was composed of 23 amino acids, which were elucidated as NH3-Glu-Gly-Gly-Cys-Gly-Val-Asp-Thr-Trp-Gly-Cys-Leu-Thr-Pro-Cys-His-Cys-Asp-Leu-Phe-Cys-Thr-Thr-COOH. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for MRSA were 8 µg/mL and 16 µg/mL, respectively. FN33 AMP induced cell membrane permeabilization, suggesting a membrane-disrupting mechanism. The AMP remained stable at 30-40 °C but lost activity at higher temperatures and following exposure to proteases, surfactants, and extreme pH. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations showed that the AMP adopts a β-sheet structure upon membrane interaction. These findings suggest that Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33 is a promising source of novel antibacterial agents against MRSA, supporting alternative strategies for drug-resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namfa Sermkaew
- School of Pharmacy, Walailak University, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
- Drug and Cosmetics Excellence Center, Walailak University, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | - Apichart Atipairin
- School of Pharmacy, Walailak University, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
- Drug and Cosmetics Excellence Center, Walailak University, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
| | | | - Sucheewin Krobthong
- Center of Excellence in Natural Products Chemistry (CENP), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Chanat Aonbangkhen
- Center of Excellence in Natural Products Chemistry (CENP), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Jumpei Uchiyama
- Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yodying Yingchutrakul
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Nuttapon Songnaka
- School of Pharmacy, Walailak University, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
- Drug and Cosmetics Excellence Center, Walailak University, Thasala, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
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Meethong M, Ekchaweng K, Obchoei S, Jakkawanpitak C, Runsaeng P. The acidic latex protein from Hevea brasiliensis serves as an anionic antimicrobial peptide. PeerJ 2025; 13:e19242. [PMID: 40247836 PMCID: PMC12005194 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.19242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2025] [Indexed: 04/19/2025] Open
Abstract
Background Hev b5 is a unique acidic protein identified as an allergen in natural latex and latex gloves, known for stimulating histamine release from human basophils sensitized with serum from latex-allergic individuals. It is rich in glutamic acid and proline residues arranged in repeated motifs. The protein's unusual amino acid composition includes 48% negatively charged residues and 13% positively charged residues. Methods The recombinant form of Hev b5 (rHev b5) was produced in Escherichia coli. Its chitinase activity, which may provide antifungal properties by breaking down chitin in phytopathogen cell walls, was assessed. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of rHev b5 against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Salmonella typhi, was evaluated. The potential enhancement of this activity in the presence of calcium or zinc ions was investigated to understand the underlying mechanism involving binding to microbial membranes via metal ion-mediated cationic salt bridges. Results rHev b5 exhibited significant chitinase activity and demonstrated substantial antibacterial effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The antibacterial activity was notably enhanced in the presence of zinc or calcium ions, suggesting that rHev b5 binds to microbial membranes through metal ion-mediated cationic salt bridges, leading to cell lysis and microbial death. Conclusion Antimicrobial properties and chitinase activity of Hev b5 underline its potential as an anionic antimicrobial peptide, offering both antifungal and antibacterial defenses. These findings position Hev b5 as a promising candidate for further research in antimicrobial peptide applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Methaporn Meethong
- Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Kitiya Ekchaweng
- Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Sumalee Obchoei
- Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Chanawee Jakkawanpitak
- Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Phanthipha Runsaeng
- Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand
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Dennison SR, Morton LHG, Badiani K, Harris F, Phoenix DA. The effect of C-terminal deamidation on bacterial susceptibility and resistance to modelin-5. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2025; 54:45-63. [PMID: 39932554 PMCID: PMC11880157 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-025-01732-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Revised: 01/14/2025] [Accepted: 01/18/2025] [Indexed: 03/05/2025]
Abstract
The C-terminal amide carried by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can play a variable role in their antibacterial action and here, this role is investigated here for the synthetic peptide modelin-5 (M5-NH2). The peptide showed potent activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MLC = 5.9 µM), with strong binding to the cytoplasmic membrane (CM) (Kd = 21.5 μM) and the adoption of high levels of amphiphilic α-helical structure (80.1%) which promoted strong CM penetration (9.6 mN m-1) and CM lysis (89.0%). In contrast, Staphylococcus aureus was resistant to M5-NH2 (MLC = 139.6 µM), probably due electrostatic repulsion effects mediated by Lys-PG in the organism's CM. These effects promoted weak CM binding (Kd = 120.6 μM) and the formation of low levels of amphiphilic α-helical structure (30.1%), with low levels of CM penetration (4.8 mN m-1) and lysis (36.4%). C-terminal deamidation had a variable influence on the antibacterial activity of M5-NH2, and in the case of S. aureus, loss of this structural moiety had no apparent effect on activity. The resistance of S. aureus to M5-NH2 isoforms appeared to be facilitated by the high level of charge carried by these peptides, as well as the density and distribution of this charge. In the case of P. aeruginosa, the activity of M5-NH2 was greatly reduced by C-terminal deamidation (MLC = 138.6 µM), primarily through decreased CM binding (Kd = 118.4 μM) and amphiphilic α-helix formation (39.6%) that led to lower levels of CM penetration (5.1 mN m-1) and lysis (39.0%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Dennison
- Biomedical Evidence-Based Transdisciplinary (BEST) Health Research Institute, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK.
| | - Leslie H G Morton
- Biomedical Evidence-Based Transdisciplinary (BEST) Health Research Institute, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Kamal Badiani
- Biosynth Ltd, 4 Feldspar Close, Warrens Park, Enderby, Leicestershire, LE19 4JS, UK
| | - Frederick Harris
- Biomedical Evidence-Based Transdisciplinary (BEST) Health Research Institute, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK
| | - David A Phoenix
- Office of the Vice Chancellor, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA, UK
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5
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Pimchan T, Tian F, Thumanu K, Rodtong S, Yongsawatdigul J. Anti-Salmonella Activity of a Novel Peptide, KGGDLGLFEPTL, Derived from Egg Yolk Hydrolysate. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 13:19. [PMID: 38247578 PMCID: PMC10812675 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to characterize the mode of action of a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from egg yolk hydrolysate. The EYHp6, KGGDLGLFEPTL, exhibited inhibition against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium TISTR 292 and S. enterica serovar Enteritidis DMST 15679 with a MIC value of 2 mM. In contrast, S. enterica serovar Newport ATCC 6962 and other strains of Typhimurium and Enteritidis were inhibited at 4 mM. EYHp6 increased the cell membrane permeability of S. Typhimurium TISTR 292, leading to DNA leakage. Membrane integrity determined by propidium iodide and SYTO9 staining visualized by confocal microscopy demonstrated that EYHp6 at 1 × MIC induced disruption of cell membranes. Electron microscopy revealed that treatment of S. Typhimurium with EYHp6 led to damage to the cell membrane, causing the leakage of intracellular contents. Synchrotron-based Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that EYHp6 killed S. Typhimurium by targeting fatty acids and nucleic acids in the cell membrane. The peptide did not show hemolytic activity up to 4 mM. These findings suggest that EYHp6 could be a promising antibacterial agent for controlling the growth of S. enterica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thippawan Pimchan
- School of Food Technology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Fu Tian
- College of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang 550003, China;
| | - Kanjana Thumanu
- Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Public Organization), Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Sureelak Rodtong
- School of Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Jirawat Yongsawatdigul
- School of Food Technology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
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6
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The Antimicrobial Peptide 1018-K6 Interacts Distinctly with Eukaryotic and Bacterial Membranes, the Basis of Its Specificity and Bactericidal Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012392. [PMID: 36293249 PMCID: PMC9603936 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Since penicillin was discovered, antibiotics have been critical in the fight against infections. However, antibiotic misuse has led to drug resistance, which now constitutes a serious health problem. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a natural group of short proteins, varying in structure and length, that act against certain types of bacterial pathogens. The antimicrobial peptide 1018-K6 (VRLIVKVRIWRR- NH2) has significant bactericidal and antibiofilm activity against Listeria monocytogenes isolates, and against different strains and serotypes of Salmonella. Here, the mechanism of action of 1018-K6 was explored further to understand the peptide-membrane interactions relevant to its activity, and to define their determinants. We combined studies with model synthetic membranes (liposomes) and model biological membranes, assessing the absorption maximum and the quenching of 1018-K6 fluorescence in aqueous and lipid environments, the self-quenching of carboxyfluorescein, as well as performing lipid sedimentation assays. The data obtained reflect the differential interactions of the 1018-K6 peptide with eukaryotic and prokaryotic membranes, and the specific interactions and mechanisms of action in the three prokaryotic species studied: Salmonella Typhimurium2GN, Escherichia coli3GN, and Staphylococcus aureus3GP. The AMP 1018-K6 is a candidate to prevent (food preservation) or treat (antibiotic use) infections caused by certain pathogenic bacteria, especially some that are resistant to current antibiotics.
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7
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Almarwani B, Phambu N, Hamada YZ, Sunda-Meya A. Interactions of an Anionic Antimicrobial Peptide with Zinc(II): Application to Bacterial Mimetic Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:14554-14562. [PMID: 33227202 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While the majority of known antimicrobial peptides are cationic, a small number consist of short Asp-rich sequences that are anionic. These require metal ions to become biologically active. Here, we report the study of the zinc complexes of the peptide GADDDDD (GAD5), an antimicrobial peptide. Using a combination of dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential, infrared, Raman, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we find that adding zinc ions to GAD5 forces it into a compact structure. Higher amounts of zinc ions favor a larger structure, possibly a dimer. SEM images show that zinc ions reduce the size of the fibrillar structures of GAD5. TGA curves show that the addition of zinc ions increases the thermal stability of the structure of the peptide. TGA and DSC indicate that the association of GAD5 with a zwitterionic phospholipid in the presence of zinc ions is the most stable. The stability of that complex is due to the presence of a sharp endothermic peak in the 200-300 °C range, suggesting the presence of interlamellar water that is essential to the stabilization of the structure. These results indicate that the Zn-GAD5 complex prefers the bacteria-mimicking neutral (zwitterionic) membranes. In the presence of negatively charged phospholipids, the complex remains unordered and unstable. In terms of mechanism of action, the Zn-GAD5 complex promotes a possible endocytic uptake with respect to neutral (zwitterionic) membranes while promoting membrane disruption by forming pores with respect to negatively charged phospholipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashiyar Almarwani
- Department of Chemistry, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee 37209, United States
| | - Nsoki Phambu
- Department of Chemistry, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee 37209, United States
| | - Yahia Z Hamada
- Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, LeMoyne-Owen College, Memphis, Tennessee 38126, United States
| | - Anderson Sunda-Meya
- Department of Physics and Computer Science, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125, United States
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Kollakalnaduvil Raghavan RM, Ali Pannippara M, Kesav S, Mathew A, G Bhat S, Hatha Aa M, Kk E. MFAP9: Characterization of an extracellular thermostable antibacterial peptide from marine fungus with biofilm eradication potential. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2020; 194:113808. [PMID: 33303270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2020.113808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
An extracellular thermostable antibacterial peptide designated as MFAP9 was purified from marine Aspergillus fumigatus BTMF9 by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by ion exchange chromatography on a DEAE-sepharose column. The molecular weight of MFAP9 was found to be∼3 kDa in SDS-PAGE gel corresponding a single intensity peak in MALDI-TOF. The distinct peak with a retention time of 32.5 min appeared in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), further confirming the purity. Isoelectric focusing, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting were performed for the characterization of MFAP9. Functional analysis of purified MFAP9 exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Bacillus circulans (NCIM 2107) with MIC and MBC values of 0.525 μg/mL and 4.2 μg/mL, respectively. The in vitro antibiofilm effect of MFAP9 was analyzed against bacteria which have strong biofilm forming potential. The antibiofilm effect of MFAP9 treatment on Bacillus pumilus was examined using scanning electron microscopy. MFAP9 was found to be active at high temperatures and a wide range of pH (28). In addition, it showed varied sensitivity towards proteolytic enzymes. The peptide was nontoxic to human RBCs at higher concentrations. These results indicate that MFAP9 is an antibacterial peptide, suitable for the development of novel anti-infective agent with strong antibiofilm potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manzur Ali Pannippara
- Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682 022, Kerala, India; Department of Biotechnology, MES College Marampally, Aluva, 683 107, Kerala, India.
| | - Sapna Kesav
- Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682 022, Kerala, India; Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682 016, Kerala, India
| | - Abraham Mathew
- Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682 022, Kerala, India; P.G. and Research Department of Botany, St. Peter's College, Kolenchery, 682311, Kerala, India
| | - Sarita G Bhat
- Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682 022, Kerala, India
| | - Mohamed Hatha Aa
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682 016, Kerala, India
| | - Elyas Kk
- Department of Biotechnology, Calicut University, Malappuram, 673 635, Kerala, India
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9
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Cao W, Liu Q, Wang T, Zhang Q, Cheng F, Tang Y, Mei C, Wen F, Wang W. Recombinant expression of the precursor of rat lung surfactant protein B in Escherichia coli and its antibacterial mechanism. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 179:105801. [PMID: 33248225 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2020.105801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
While the discovery of antibiotics has made a huge contribution to medicine, bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics pose new challenges to medicine. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a new kind of antibiotics, have attracted people's attention because they are not prone to drug resistance. In this study, glutathione transferase (GST) was used as a fusion partner to recombinantly expressed rat lung surfactant protein B precursor (proSP-B) in E. coli pLySs. Cck-8 evaluated the cytotoxicity of the fusion protein and calculated its 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50). The purified peptides showed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity using filter paper method and MIC, and propidium iodide (PI) was used to explore the antibacterial mechanism against Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the pEGFP-N2-proSP-B vector was constructed to explore the localization of proSP-B in CCL-149 cells. We found that proSP-B has obvious antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, and has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Besides, proSP-B fusion protein has low toxicity and can change the permeability of Staphylococcus aureus cell membrane to realize its antibacterial. For these reasons, proSP-B can be used as a potential natural antibacterial drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wulong Cao
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Qin Liu
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Ting Wang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Qiuhan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Fu Cheng
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Yishan Tang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Chenchen Mei
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Fang Wen
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
| | - Wanneng Wang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, PR China.
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10
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Wang L, Sathuvan M, Chen S, Cai K, Chen S, Liu Y. Purification and stability analysis of antimicrobial proteins from Varuna litterata. Microb Pathog 2020; 153:104637. [PMID: 33232765 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Ten marine species, including different crabs, bivalve molluscs, and fish intestines were selected to screen the natural antimicrobial protein or peptide as they are enriched with various microorganisms. The crude extract from Varuna litterata, a marine crab which is used as a raw material in the preparation of pickled crabs in Chaoshan area of China, was proved to have a potent bacteriostatic effect against gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive bacterium(Staphylococcus aureus) compared with other marine species. The crude proteins of Varunalitterata were salted-out for preliminary purification and further purified by gel filtration (Sephadex G-150) or anion exchange (DEAE-cellulose 52) chromatographic column. An increase in the antimicrobial activity was noted with the increase in the purity level of the protein. A relatively pure protein was eventually obtained, which was determined to be belonging to the hemocyanin family based on the mass spectrometric data analysis. The purified proteins solution (1 mg/ml) from Varuna litterata exhibited similar antimicrobial activity to that of gentamycin sulfate (0.2 mg/ml), which were relatively stable in a certain pH or temperature range. A structure-activity relationship of the purified hemocyanin was determined based on the interaction of hemocyanin and different chromatographic medium, which revealed that the integrated hexamers played a remarkable role in its bacteriostatic activity. Moreover, the phenoloxidase activity of hemocyanin from Varuna litterata was found as the underlying cause of its antimicrobial potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Wang
- Department of Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, PR China
| | - Malairaj Sathuvan
- Department of Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, PR China
| | - Shengqin Chen
- Department of Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, PR China
| | - Kun Cai
- Department of Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, PR China
| | - Shan Chen
- Department of Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, PR China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, PR China.
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11
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Mercer DK, Torres MDT, Duay SS, Lovie E, Simpson L, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, de la Fuente-Nunez C, O'Neil DA, Angeles-Boza AM. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Antimicrobial Peptides to Better Predict Efficacy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:326. [PMID: 32733816 PMCID: PMC7358464 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) as potential therapeutics, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) stands as an essential part of the process in identification and optimisation of candidate AMP. Standard methods for AST, developed almost 60 years ago for testing conventional antibiotics, are not necessarily fit for purpose when it comes to determining the susceptibility of microorganisms to AMP. Without careful consideration of the parameters comprising AST there is a risk of failing to identify novel antimicrobials at a time when antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is leading the planet toward a post-antibiotic era. More physiologically/clinically relevant AST will allow better determination of the preclinical activity of drug candidates and allow the identification of lead compounds. An important consideration is the efficacy of AMP in biological matrices replicating sites of infection, e.g., blood/plasma/serum, lung bronchiolar lavage fluid/sputum, urine, biofilms, etc., as this will likely be more predictive of clinical efficacy. Additionally, specific AST for different target microorganisms may help to better predict efficacy of AMP in specific infections. In this manuscript, we describe what we believe are the key considerations for AST of AMP and hope that this information can better guide the preclinical development of AMP toward becoming a new generation of urgently needed antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelo D. T. Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Institute for Computational Science, and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Searle S. Duay
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Emma Lovie
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Institute for Computational Science, and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Alfredo M. Angeles-Boza
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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12
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Loxosceles gaucho Spider Venom: An Untapped Source of Antimicrobial Agents. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10120522. [PMID: 30563217 PMCID: PMC6316817 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10120522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The remarkable ability of microorganisms to develop resistance to conventional antibiotics is one of the biggest challenges that the pharmaceutical industry currently faces. Recent studies suggest that antimicrobial peptides discovered in spider venoms may be useful resources for the design of structurally new anti-infective agents effective against drug-resistant microorganisms. In this work, we found an anionic antibacterial peptide named U1-SCRTX-Lg1a in the venom of the spider Loxosceles gaucho. The peptide was purified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), its antimicrobial activity was tested through liquid growth inhibition assays, and its chemical properties were characterized using mass spectrometry. U1-SCRTX-Lg1a was found to show a monoisotopic mass of 1695.75 Da, activity against Gram-negative bacteria, a lack of hemolytic effects against human red blood cells, and a lack of cytotoxicity against human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa). Besides this, the sequence of the peptide exhibited great similarity to specific regions of phospholipases D from different species of Loxosceles spiders, leading to the hypothesis that U1-SCRTX-Lg1a may have originated from a limited proteolytic cleavage. Our data suggest that U1-SCRTX-Lg1a is a promising candidate for the development of new antibiotics that could help fight bacterial infections and represents an exciting discovery for Loxosceles spiders.
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Almeida JR, Palacios ALV, Patiño RSP, Mendes B, Teixeira CAS, Gomes P, da Silva SL. Harnessing snake venom phospholipases A 2 to novel approaches for overcoming antibiotic resistance. Drug Dev Res 2018; 80:68-85. [PMID: 30255943 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistance drives an essential race against time to reveal new molecular structures capable of addressing this alarming global health problem. Snake venoms are natural catalogs of multifunctional toxins and privileged frameworks, which serve as potential templates for the inspiration of novel treatment strategies for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria. Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 s) are one of the main classes of antibacterial biomolecules, with recognized therapeutic value, found in these valuable secretions. Recently, a number of biomimetic oligopeptides based on small fragments of primary structure from PLA2 toxins has emerged as a meaningful opportunity to overcome multidrug-resistant clinical isolates. Thus, this review will highlight the biochemical and structural properties of antibacterial PLA2 s and peptides thereof, as well as their possible molecular mechanisms of action and key roles in development of effective therapeutic strategies. Chemical strategies possibly useful to convert antibacterial peptides from PLA2 s to efficient drugs will be equally addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bruno Mendes
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Cátia A S Teixeira
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Saulo L da Silva
- Facultad de Ciencias Química, Universidad de Cuenca - Cuenca/Azuay - Ecuador
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14
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Characterization of Antimicrobial and Antioxidative Peptides Synthesized by L. rhamnosus C6 Fermentation of Milk. Int J Pept Res Ther 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-017-9616-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Tang W, Pu C, Li M. Interaction between Antibacterial Peptide Apep10 and Escherichia coli Membrane Lipids Evaluated Using Liposome as Pseudo-Stationary Phase. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0164594. [PMID: 28052090 PMCID: PMC5215004 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Liposomes constructed from Escherichia coli membrane lipids were used as a pseudo-stationary phase in capillary electrophoresis and immobilised liposome chromatography to evaluate the interaction between antibacterial peptide (ABP) Apep10 and bacterial membrane lipids. The peptide mobility decreased as the concentration of liposomes increased, providing evidence for the existence of this interaction. The binding constant between Apep10 and the Escherichia coli membranes lipid liposome was higher than that of Apep10 with a mixed phospholipids liposome at the same temperature. The capillary electrophoresis results indicate that the binding ability of Apep10 with a liposome was dependent on the liposome’s lipid compositions. Thermodynamic analysis by immobilised liposome chromatography indicated that hydrophobic and electrostatic effects contributed to the partitioning of Apep10 in the membrane lipids. The liposomes constructed from bacterial membrane lipid were more suitable as the model membranes used to study dynamic ABP/membrane interactions than those constructed from specific ratios of particular phospholipids, with its more biomimetic phospholipid composition and contents. This study provides an appropriate model for the evaluation of ABP-membrane interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Tang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Chuanfen Pu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Man Li
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
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16
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Pedron CN, Torres MDT, Lima JADS, Silva PI, Silva FD, Oliveira VX. Novel designed VmCT1 analogs with increased antimicrobial activity. Eur J Med Chem 2016; 126:456-463. [PMID: 27912176 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are biologically active molecules produced by a wide range of organisms as an essential component of the innate immune response. They have recently attracted great interest, since they have antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. VmCT1 is a cationic peptide from the venom of Vaejovis mexicanus smithi scorpions, which presents antibacterial activity and tends to helical structures. Its analogs were synthesized, characterized and the conformational studies were performed by circular dichroism. The peptides were designed to verify if the single and double substitutions proposed at the hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the amphipathic structure would alter antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, yeast and filamentous fungus, besides the hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes. Total charge of the peptides were modified from +2 to +3 by the introduction of a Lysine residue in the hydrophilic face of the amphiphilic helical structure leading to enhanced antimicrobial activity. [K]11-VmCT1-NH2 presented the lower MIC value against the microorganisms (from 0.39 to 6.25 μmol L-1), however it showed higher hemolytic activity. The other Lysine-substituted analogs presented also lower MIC values ranging from 0.39 to 25 μmol L-1 for the microorganisms assessed. The circular dichroism spectra analyses suggest that the Lysine-substituted analogs tend to adopt helical structures in trifluoroethanol solution and vesicles (fH: 0.43-1), however they were coiled in water. Alanine substitution by a Glutamic acid residue in the hydrophilic face promotes the increase of polar angle in [E]4-VmCT1-NH2 analog, which was important to led lower hemolytic activity (MHC value = 25 μmol L-1). [W]9-VmCT1-NH2 and [E]4[W]9-VmCT1-NH2 were designed to favors hydrophobic interactions by the introduction of Tryptophan residue. [W]9-VmCT1-NH2 presented MIC values lower or similar than the model molecule in the most of microorganisms tested. These results provided information about the structure-activity relationship and showed the influence of physicochemical parameters on antimicrobial and hemolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Fernanda Dias Silva
- Universidade Federal Do ABC, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Vani Xavier Oliveira
- Universidade Federal Do ABC, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
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17
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de la Salud Bea R, Ascuitto MR, de Johnson LEL. Synthesis of analogs of peptides from Buthus martensii scorpion venom with potential antibiotic activity. Peptides 2015; 68:228-32. [PMID: 25451872 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Five analogs of a natural peptide (BmKn1) found in the venom of scorpion Buthus martensii Karsh have been synthesized and tested to compare their antimicrobial and hemolytic activity with the wild type. Circular dichroism spectra show that these peptides form an alpha helix structure and its amino acid positions predict an amphipathic nature. Results show that increasing hydrophobicity by substituting successively positions 5 and 9 of the sequence (on the hydrophobic side of the helix) with alanine, valine and leucine enhances antimicrobial activity and hemolysis. When changes are done on positions 7 and 10 (on the hydrophilic side) by introducing more positive charges with addition of lysine, both activities also increase. However, when negative charges are introduced instead (with glutamic acids), antimicrobial activity is observed but hemolysis is reduced to zero under the concentrations studied. Although strong inhibitory activity begins at low concentrations (10μg/mL), some peptides level off inhibition and no change is observed as concentrations are increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto de la Salud Bea
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, United States.
| | - Michael Ross Ascuitto
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, United States
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18
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The antimicrobial peptide microcin J25 stabilizes the gel phase of bacterial model membranes. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2015; 129:183-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.03.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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19
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Targeted separation of antibacterial peptide from protein hydrolysate of anchovy cooking wastewater by equilibrium dialysis. Food Chem 2015; 168:115-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 06/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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20
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Libardo MDJ, Nagella S, Lugo A, Pierce S, Angeles-Boza AM. Copper-binding tripeptide motif increases potency of the antimicrobial peptide Anoplin via Reactive Oxygen Species generation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 456:446-51. [PMID: 25482446 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.11.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are broad spectrum antimicrobial agents that act through diverse mechanisms, this characteristic makes them suitable starting points for development of novel classes of antibiotics. We have previously reported the increase in activity of AMPs upon addition of the Amino Terminal Copper and Nickel (ATCUN) Binding Unit. Herein we synthesized the membrane active peptide, Anoplin and two ATCUN-Anoplin derivatives and show that the increase in activity is indeed due to the ROS formation by the Cu(II)-ATCUN complex. We found that the ATCUN-Anoplin peptides were up to four times more potent compared to Anoplin alone against standard test bacteria. We studied membrane disruption, and cellular localization and found that addition of the ATCUN motif did not lead to a difference in these properties. When helical content was calculated, we observed that ATCUN-Anoplin had a lower helical composition. We found that ATCUN-Anoplin are able to oxidatively damage lipids in the bacterial membrane and that their activity trails the rate at which ROS is formed by the Cu(II)-ATCUN complexes alone. This study shows that addition of a metal binding tripeptide motif is a simple strategy to increase potency of AMPs by conferring a secondary action.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Daben J Libardo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Sai Nagella
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Andrea Lugo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Scott Pierce
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
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21
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Libardo MDJ, Angeles-Boza AM. Bioinorganic Chemistry of Antimicrobial and Host-Defense Peptides. COMMENT INORG CHEM 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/02603594.2014.960923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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22
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Sowa-Jasiłek A, Zdybicka-Barabas A, Stączek S, Wydrych J, Mak P, Jakubowicz T, Cytryńska M. Studies on the role of insect hemolymph polypeptides: Galleria mellonella anionic peptide 2 and lysozyme. Peptides 2014; 53:194-201. [PMID: 24472857 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2014.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The lysozymes are well known antimicrobial polypeptides exhibiting antibacterial and antifungal activities. Their antibacterial potential is related to muramidase activity and non-enzymatic activity resembling the mode of action of cationic defense peptides. However, the mechanisms responsible for fungistatic and/or fungicidal activity of lysozyme are still not clear. In the present study, the anti-Candida albicans activity of Galleria mellonella lysozyme and anionic peptide 2 (AP2), defense factors constitutively present in the hemolymph, was examined. The lysozyme inhibited C. albicans growth in a dose-dependent manner. The decrease in the C. albicans survival rate caused by the lysozyme was accompanied by a considerable reduction of the fungus metabolic activity, as revealed by LIVE/DEAD staining. In contrast, although AP2 reduced C. albicans metabolic activity, it did not influence its survival rate. Our results suggest fungicidal action of G. mellonella lysozyme and fungistatic activity of AP2 toward C. albicans cells. In the presence of AP2, the anti-C. albicans activity of G. mellonella lysozyme increased. Moreover, when the fungus was incubated with both defense factors, true hyphae were observed besides pseudohyphae and yeast-like C. albicans cells. Atomic force microscopy analysis of the cells exposed to the lysozyme and/or AP2 revealed alterations in the cell surface topography and properties in comparison with the control cells. The results indicate synergistic action of G. mellonella AP2 and lysozyme toward C. albicans. The presence of both factors in the hemolymph of naive larvae suggests their important role in the early stages of immune response against fungi in G. mellonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Sowa-Jasiłek
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Sylwia Stączek
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Jerzy Wydrych
- Department of Comparative Anatomy and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Paweł Mak
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7 St., 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Teresa Jakubowicz
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
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Tang W, Zhang H, Wang L, Qian H. New cationic antimicrobial peptide screened from boiled-dried anchovies by immobilized bacterial membrane liposome chromatography. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2014; 62:1564-71. [PMID: 24499191 DOI: 10.1021/jf4052286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
An efficient immobilized bacterial membrane liposome chromatography method was used to screen potential antimicrobial peptides from boiled-dried anchovies. A novel cationic antimicrobial peptide (Apep10) was successfully isolated by one-step chromatography. The sequence of Apep10 was identified as GLARCLAGTL by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-Q-TOF MS). The antimicrobial activity assessment indicated that Apep10 inhibited the growth of the reference bacteria (Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae), with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 8 to 64 μg/mL. Almost no cytotoxicity against mouse erythrocytes was observed at concentrations below 20 μg/mL. Nucleotide leakage induced by Apep10 showed that the peptide exhibited permeable activity on the cytoplasmic membrane. Alterations in morphology were observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Membrane disruption was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with propidium iodide (PI). The results demonstrate that immobilized bacterial membrane liposome chromatography is a straightforward technique for screening unknown antimicrobial peptides with cell-membrane-interacting activities from boiled-dried anchovies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology & School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University , Wuxi 214122, People's Republic of China
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Qiu C, Sun J, Liu M, Wang B, Jiang K, Sun S, Meng X, Luo Z, Wang L. Molecular cloning of hemocyanin cDNA from Fenneropenaeus chinensis and antimicrobial analysis of two C-terminal fragments. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2014; 16:46-53. [PMID: 23887674 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-013-9519-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Peptides derived from shrimp hemocyanin have antimicrobial properties. This is the first report of hemocyanin cDNA (FCHc) cloned from Fenneropenaeus chinensis and recombinant expression of two C-terminal fragments. Based on sequence analysis of Fenneropenaeus chinensis hemocyanin FCHc, we subcloned two FCHc fragments by designing special primers. Two antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were derived from FCHc (FCHc-C1 and FCHc-C2). The recombinant sequence of FCHc-C1 consisted of 207 bp encoding 69 amino acids and the recombinant sequence of FCHc-C2 consisted of 120 bp encoding 40 amino acids. The results of Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting indicated that recombinant FCHc-C1 and FCHc-C2 peptides (rFCHc-C1 and rFCHc-C2) were expressed successfully. An inhibition assay showed that FCHc-C1 and FCHc-C2 were anionic AMPs with antifungal and antibacterial activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuwen Qiu
- R&D Center of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
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25
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Langmuir–Blodgett Approach to Investigate Antimicrobial Peptide–Membrane Interactions. ADVANCES IN PLANAR LIPID BILAYERS AND LIPOSOMES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-418698-9.00003-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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26
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Camargos TS, Restano-Cassulini R, Possani LD, Peigneur S, Tytgat J, Schwartz CA, Alves EMC, de Freitas SM, Schwartz EF. The new kappa-KTx 2.5 from the scorpion Opisthacanthus cayaporum. Peptides 2011; 32:1509-17. [PMID: 21624408 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2011] [Revised: 05/13/2011] [Accepted: 05/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The kappa-KTx family of peptides, which is the newest K⁺-channel blocker family from scorpion venom, is present in scorpions from the families Scorpionidae and Liochelidae. Differently from the other scorpion KTx families, the three-dimensional structure of the known kappa-KTxs toxins is formed by two parallel α-helices linked by two disulfide bridges. Here, the characterization of a new kappa-KTx peptide, designated kappa-KTx 2.5, derived from the Liochelidae scorpion Opisthacanthus cayaporum, is described. This peptide was purified by HPLC and found to be identical to OcyC8, a predicted mature sequence precursor (UniProtKB C5J89) previously described by our group. The peptide was chemically synthesized and the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of both, native and synthetic, conducted at different temperatures in water and water/trifluoroethanol (TFE), showed a predominance of α-helices. The kappa-KTx 2.5 is heat stable and was shown to be a blocker of K⁺-currents on hKv1.1, and hKv1.4, with higher affinity for Kv1.4 channels (IC₅₀= 71 μM). Similarly to the other kappa-KTxs, the blockade of K⁺-channels occurred at micromolar concentrations, leading to uncertainness about their proper molecular target, and consequently their pharmacologic effect. In order to test other targets, kappa-KTx2.5 was tested on other K⁺-channels, on Na⁺-channels, on bacterial growth and on smooth muscle tissue, a known assay to identify possible bradykinin-potentiating peptides, due to the presence of two contiguous prolines at the C-terminal sequence. It has no effect on the targets used except on hKv1.1, and hKv1.4 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Since the only plausible function found for kappa-KTx2.5 seems to be the blockade of K⁺-channels, a discussion regarding the analysis of structure-function relationships is included in this communication, based on sequence alignments of members of the kappa-KTx toxin family, and on computational simulation of a structural model of the kappa-KTx2.5-Kv1.2 complex.
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Insertion mode of a novel anionic antimicrobial peptide MDpep5 (Val-Glu-Ser-Trp-Val) from Chinese traditional edible larvae of housefly and its effect on surface potential of bacterial membrane. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2008; 48:1187-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2008.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 09/01/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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28
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Dawson RM, Liu CQ. Properties and applications of antimicrobial peptides in biodefense against biological warfare threat agents. Crit Rev Microbiol 2008; 34:89-107. [PMID: 18568863 DOI: 10.1080/10408410802143808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in knowledge of the properties of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are reviewed. AMPs are typically small, positively charged, amphipathic peptides that interact electrostatically and non-stereospecifically with the bacterial cell membrane, resulting in its permeabilization and cell death. Classes of AMPs, their mechanisms of action, hemolytic activity, and cytotoxicity towards host cells are discussed. A particular focus is AMPs with potential for use in defense against biological warfare agents. Some AMPs cytotoxic to Bacillus anthracis have been described. Synthesis of these peptides in multivalent form leads to a synergistic increase in antibacterial activity. Strategies to enhance the potency, stability, and selectivity of AMPs are discussed.
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Cristani M, D'Arrigo M, Mandalari G, Castelli F, Sarpietro MG, Micieli D, Venuti V, Bisignano G, Saija A, Trombetta D. Interaction of four monoterpenes contained in essential oils with model membranes: implications for their antibacterial activity. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2007; 55:6300-8. [PMID: 17602646 DOI: 10.1021/jf070094x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 351] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The present article reports the antimicrobial efficacy of four monoterpenes (thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene) against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. For a better understanding of their mechanism of action, the damage caused by these four monoterpenes on biomembranes was evaluated by monitoring the release, following exposure to the compounds under study, of the water-soluble fluorescent marker carboxyfluorescein (CF) from large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) with different lipidic composition (phosphatidylcholine, PC, phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine, PC/PS, 9:1; phosphatidylcholine/stearylamine, PC/SA, 9:1). Furthermore, the interaction of these terpenes with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles as model membranes was monitored by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. Finally, the results were related also with the relative lipophilicity and water solubility of the compounds examined. We observed that thymol is considerably more toxic against S. aureus than the other three terpenes, while carvacrol and p-cymene are the most inhibitory against E. coli. Thymol and carvacrol, but not gamma-terpinene and p-cymene, caused a concentration-dependent CF leakage from all kinds of LUVs employed; in particular, thymol was more effective on PC and PC/SA LUVS than on PC/PS vesicles, while carvacrol challenge evoked a CF leakage from PC/PS LUVs similar to that induced from PC/SA LUVs, and lower than that measured with PC vesicles. Concerning DSC experiments, these four terpenes caused a decrease in Tm and (especially carvacrol and p-cymene) DeltaH values, very likely acting as substitutional impurities. Taken together, our findings lead us to speculate that the antimicrobial effect of thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and gamma-terpinene may result, partially at least, from a gross perturbation of the lipidic fraction of the plasmic membrane of the microorganism. In addition to being related to the physicochemical characteristics of the compounds (such as lipophilicity and water solubility), this effect seems to be dependent on the lipidic composition and net surface charge of the microbic membranes. Furthermore, the compounds might cross the cell membranes, thus penetrating into the interior of the cell and interacting with intracellular sites critical for antibacterial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariateresa Cristani
- Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Contrada Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
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