1
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Li M, Sun X, Zhao L, Du W, Shang D. The antibacterial activity and mechanisms of Trp-containing peptides against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa persisters. Biochimie 2024:S0300-9084(24)00121-4. [PMID: 38815647 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial persisters avoid antibiotic-mediated death by entering a dormant state and are considered a major cause of antibiotic treatment failure. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with membrane-disrupting activity are promising drugs to eradicate persister cells. In this study, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and rifampicin (RFP) were applied to induce the formation of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA0108) persisters, and the antibacterial activity and mechanisms of I1W and L12W (two Trp-containing peptides designed in our lab) against MRPA0108 persisters were investigated. The results showed that I1W and L12W displayed potent antibacterial activity against MRPA0108 persisters. Both Trp-containing peptides disturbed the inner and outer membrane of MRPA0108 persisters. In addition, I1W and L12W revealed novel antibacterial mechanisms by decreasing the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, consequently leading to oxidative stress. The transcriptome profile of I1W-treated MRPA0108 persisters revealed that the genes involved in carbon metabolism, biosynthesis of amino acids, and the TCA cycle were downregulated, indicating that I1W interfered with metabolism and energy synthesis processes. Furthermore, both Trp-containing peptides displayed synergistic activity with antibiotic tobramycin and showed additive activity with cefepime, or ciprofloxacin, which revealed a potential therapeutic strategy for the eradication of MRPA0108 persisters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmiao Li
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China; Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaomi Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Wanying Du
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Dejing Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China; Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
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2
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Sarkar T, Vignesh SR, Sehgal T, Ronima KR, Thummer RP, Satpati P, Chatterjee S. Development of protease resistant and non-cytotoxic Jelleine analogs with enhanced broad spectrum antimicrobial efficacy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024:184336. [PMID: 38763273 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Short systemic half- life of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMP) is one of the major bottlenecks that limits their successful commercialization as therapeutics. In this work, we have designed analogs of the natural AMP Jelleine, obtained from royal jelly of apis mellifera. Among the designed peptides, J3 and J4 were the most potent with broad spectrum activities against a varied class of ESKAPE pathogens and fungi C. albicans. All the developed peptides were more effective against Gram-negative bacteria in comparison to the Gram-positive pathogens, and were especially effective against P. aeruginosa and C. albicans.J3 and J4 were completely trypsin resistant and serum stable, while retaining the non-cytotoxicity of the parent Jelleine, Jc. The designed peptides were membranolytic in their mode of action. CD and MD simulations in the presence of bilayers, established that J3 and J4 were non-structured even upon membrane binding and suggested that biological properties of the AMPs were innocent of any specific secondary structural requirements. Enhancement of charge to increase the antimicrobial potency, controlling the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance to maintain non-cytotoxicity and induction of unnatural amino acid residues to impart protease resistance, remains some of the fundamental principles in the design of more effective antimicrobial therapeutics of the future, which may help combat the quickly rising menace of antimicrobial resistance in the microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanumoy Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - S R Vignesh
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Tanya Sehgal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - K R Ronima
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Rajkumar P Thummer
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Priyadarshi Satpati
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
| | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
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3
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Li C, Zhou Z, Wang W, Zhao Y, Yin X, Meng Y, Zhao P, Wang M, Liu X, Wang X, Wang S, Ren B, Zhang L, Xia X. Development of Antibacterial Peptides with Membrane Disruption and Folate Pathway Inhibitory Activities against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1044-1060. [PMID: 38173250 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer an opportunity to overcome multidrug resistance. Here, novel peptides were designed based on AMP fragments derived from sea cucumber hemolytic lectin to enhance anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity with less side effects. Two designed peptides, CGS19 (LARVARRVIRFIRRAW-NH2) and CGS20 (RRRLARRLIFFIRRAW-NH2), exhibited strong antibacterial activities against clinically isolated MRSA with MICs of 3-6 μM, but no obvious cytotoxicity was observed. Consistently, CGS19 and CGS20 exerted rapid bactericidal activity and effectively induced 5.9 and 5.8 log reduction of MRSA counts in mouse subeschar, respectively. Further, CGS19 and CGS20 kill bacteria not only through disturbing membrane integrity but also by binding formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase, a key enzyme in the folate metabolism pathway, thereby inhibiting the folate pathway of MRSA. CGS19 and CGS20 are promising lead candidates for drug development against MRSA infection. The dual mechanisms on the identical peptide sequence or scaffold might be an underappreciated manner of treating life-threatening pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlei Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Hospital, Cheloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Ziyi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Weitao Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
| | - Yanqiu Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
| | - Xin Yin
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
| | - Yiwei Meng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
| | - Peipei Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xinye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shenlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Biao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xuekui Xia
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Bio-Manufacturing, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250103, China
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4
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Nguyen AK, Molley TG, Kardia E, Ganda S, Chakraborty S, Wong SL, Ruan J, Yee BE, Mata J, Vijayan A, Kumar N, Tilley RD, Waters SA, Kilian KA. Hierarchical assembly of tryptophan zipper peptides into stress-relaxing bioactive hydrogels. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6604. [PMID: 37872151 PMCID: PMC10593748 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41907-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft materials in nature are formed through reversible supramolecular assembly of biological polymers into dynamic hierarchical networks. Rational design has led to self-assembling peptides with structural similarities to natural materials. However, recreating the dynamic functional properties inherent to natural systems remains challenging. Here we report the discovery of a short peptide based on the tryptophan zipper (trpzip) motif, that shows multiscale hierarchical ordering that leads to emergent dynamic properties. Trpzip hydrogels are antimicrobial and self-healing, with tunable viscoelasticity and unique yield-stress properties that allow immediate harvest of embedded cells through a flick of the wrist. This characteristic makes Trpzip hydrogels amenable to syringe extrusion, which we demonstrate with examples of cell delivery and bioprinting. Trpzip hydrogels display innate bioactivity, allowing propagation of human intestinal organoids with apical-basal polarization. Considering these extensive attributes, we anticipate the Trpzip motif will prove a versatile building block for supramolecular assembly of soft materials for biotechnology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley K Nguyen
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Center for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Thomas G Molley
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Center for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Egi Kardia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Sylvia Ganda
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Center for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Sudip Chakraborty
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Sharon L Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Juanfang Ruan
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Bethany E Yee
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Center for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jitendra Mata
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, Lucas Heights, NSW, 2234, Australia
| | - Abhishek Vijayan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Naresh Kumar
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Richard D Tilley
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Shafagh A Waters
- Australian Center for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Molecular and Integrative Cystic Fibrosis Research Centre (miCF_RC), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Kristopher A Kilian
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Australian Center for Nanomedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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5
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Anwar S, Khawar MB, Afzal A, Ovais M, Xiang Z. Self-assembled and Zn(II)-coordinated dipeptide nanoparticles with membrane-rupturing action on bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:5775-5787. [PMID: 37439833 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12648-4] [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: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Metal ion-coordinated self-assembled short-chain amino acid peptide molecules with multi-photon excitation wavelengths and their photoluminescence properties are advantageous for fluorescence-based diagnostics and treatments of biological diseases based on their extra features of antibacterial agents. We have designed a novel strategy based on tryptophan molecule coordinated with Zn(II) ions in the form of biocompatible spherical nanoparticles of diameter 30-80 nm which have been used for antibacterial treatments against different kinds of pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas). Preferably, we have used tryptophan-phenylalanine (Trp-Phe), a dipeptide molecule having tryptophan as principal material against E. coli strains as antimicrobial agents for surface rupturing and killing purposes. Furthermore, based on single amino acid, tryptophan, self-assembled and Zn(II)-coordinated dipeptide nanoparticles (Zn-DPNPs) were studied against three types of multi-drug-resistant bacteria as an active antimicrobial agent. These antibacterial efficient nanoparticles may have best alternative of antibiotic drugs for clinical applications. The capability of self-assembled fluorescence behavior of Zn-coordinated dipeptide molecules and higher hydrophobicity against bacterial cell wall will perform as antimicrobial fluorescent agents. KEY POINTS: • Zn(II) and Cu(II) better coordinated into self-assembled NPs. • Fluorescence signals showed interaction of NPs with gram -ve cell wall. • Significant surface-damaging effects were observed in the case of Cu-DPNPs and Zn-DPNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahzad Anwar
- National Institutes of Lasers and Optronics College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nilore, 45650, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, PR, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Muhammad Babar Khawar
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, PR, 100049, Beijing, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Applied Molecular Biology and Biomedicine Lab, Department of Zoology, University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan
| | - Ali Afzal
- Molecular Medicine and Cancer Therapeutics Lab, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ovais
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience & Technology (NCNST), PR, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Zhang Xiang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, PR, 100049, Beijing, China
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6
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Lander AJ, Mercado LD, Li X, Taily IM, Findlay BL, Jin Y, Luk LYP. Roles of inter- and intramolecular tryptophan interactions in membrane-active proteins revealed by racemic protein crystallography. Commun Chem 2023; 6:154. [PMID: 37464011 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-023-00953-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Tryptophan is frequently found on the surface of membrane-associated proteins that interact with the lipid membrane. However, because of their multifaceted interactions, it is difficult to pinpoint the structure-activity relationship of each tryptophan residue. Here, we describe the use of racemic protein crystallography to probe dedicated tryptophan interactions of a model tryptophan-rich bacteriocin aureocin A53 (AucA) by inclusion and/or exclusion of potential ligands. In the presence of tetrahedral anions that are isosteric to the head group of phospholipids, distinct tryptophan H-bond networks were revealed. H-bond donation by W40 was critical for antibacterial activity, as its substitution by 1-methyltryptophan resulted in substantial loss of activity against bacterial clinical isolates. Meanwhile, exclusion of tetrahedral ions revealed that W3 partakes in formation of a dimeric interface, thus suggesting that AucA is dimeric in solution and dissociated to interact with the phosphate head group in the presence of the lipid membrane. Based on these findings, we could predict the tryptophan residue responsible for activity as well as the oligomeric state of a distant homologue lacticin Q (48%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Lander
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Laura Domínguez Mercado
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Richard J. Renaud Science Complex, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Xuefei Li
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Irshad Maajid Taily
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Brandon L Findlay
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Richard J. Renaud Science Complex, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - Yi Jin
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK.
| | - Louis Y P Luk
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
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7
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Temporins: Multifunctional Peptides from Frog Skin. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065426. [PMID: 36982501 PMCID: PMC10049141 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporins are short peptides secreted by frogs from all over the world. They exert antimicrobial activity, mainly against Gram-positive bacteria, including resistant pathogens; recent studies highlight other possible applications of these peptides as anticancer or antiviral agents. This review is meant to describe the main features of temporins produced by different ranid genera. Due to the abundance of published papers, we focus on the most widely investigated peptides. We report studies on their mechanism of action and three-dimensional structure in model systems mimicking bacterial membranes or in the presence of cells. The design and the antimicrobial activity of peptide analogues is also described, with the aim of highlighting elements that are crucial to improve the bioactivity of peptides while reducing their toxicity. Finally, a short section is dedicated to the studies aimed at applying these peptides as drugs, to produce new antimicrobial materials or in other technological uses.
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8
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Sengkhui S, Klubthawee N, Aunpad R. A novel designed membrane-active peptide for the control of foodborne Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3507. [PMID: 36864083 PMCID: PMC9981719 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30427-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The main cause of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infection in humans is ingestion of contaminated animal-derived foods such as eggs, poultry and dairy products. These infections highlight the need to develop new preservatives to increase food safety. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have the potential to be further developed as food preservative agents and join nisin, the only AMP currently approved, for use as a preservative in food. Acidocin J1132β, a bacteriocin produced by probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus, displays no toxicity to humans, however it exhibits only low and narrow-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Accordingly, four peptide derivatives (A5, A6, A9, and A11) were modified from acidocin J1132β by truncation and amino acid substitution. Among them, A11 showed the most antimicrobial activity, especially against S. Typhimurium, as well as a favorable safety profile. It tended to form an α-helix structure upon encountering negatively charged-mimicking environments. A11 caused transient membrane permeabilization and killed bacterial cells through membrane depolarization and/or intracellular interactions with bacterial DNA. A11 maintained most of its inhibitory effects when heated, even when exposed to temperatures up to 100 °C. Notably, it inhibited drug-resistant S. Typhimurium and its monophasic variant strains. Furthermore, the combination of A11 and nisin was synergistic against drug-resistant strains in vitro. Taken together, this study indicated that a novel antimicrobial peptide derivative (A11), modified from acidocin J1132β, has the potential to be a bio-preservative to control S. Typhimurium contamination in the food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siriwan Sengkhui
- grid.412434.40000 0004 1937 1127Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Natthaporn Klubthawee
- grid.444093.e0000 0004 0398 9950Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Pathumthani University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Ratchaneewan Aunpad
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
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9
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You Y, Liu H, Zhu Y, Zheng H. Rational design of stapled antimicrobial peptides. Amino Acids 2023; 55:421-442. [PMID: 36781451 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-023-03245-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
The global increase in antimicrobial drug resistance has dramatically reduced the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics. Structurally diverse antibiotics are urgently needed to combat multiple-resistant bacterial infections. As part of innate immunity, antimicrobial peptides have been recognized as the most promising candidates because they comprise diverse sequences and mechanisms of action and have a relatively low induction rate of resistance. However, because of their low chemical stability, susceptibility to proteases, and high hemolytic effect, their usage is subject to many restrictions. Chemical modifications such as D-amino acid substitution, cyclization, and unnatural amino acid modification have been used to improve the stability of antimicrobial peptides for decades. Among them, a side-chain covalent bridge modification, the so-called stapled peptide, has attracted much attention. The stapled side-chain bridge stabilizes the secondary structure, induces protease resistance, and increases cell penetration and biological activity. Recent progress in computer-aided drug design and artificial intelligence methods has also been used in the design of stapled antimicrobial peptides and has led to the successful discovery of many prospective peptides. This article reviews the possible structure-activity relationships of stapled antimicrobial peptides, the physicochemical properties that influence their activity (such as net charge, hydrophobicity, helicity, and dipole moment), and computer-aided methods of stapled peptide design. Antimicrobial peptides under clinical trial: Pexiganan (NCT01594762, 2012-05-07). Omiganan (NCT02576847, 2015-10-13).
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Affiliation(s)
- YuHao You
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - HongYu Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - YouZhuo Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.
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10
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Howan DHO, Jenei S, Szolomajer J, Endre G, Kondorosi É, Tóth GK. Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Substituted Derivatives of NCR169C Peptide. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032694. [PMID: 36769017 PMCID: PMC9917201 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032694] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Medicago truncatula in symbiosis with its rhizobial bacterium partner produces more than 700 nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides with diverse physicochemical properties. Most of the cationic NCR peptides have antimicrobial activity and the potential to tackle antimicrobial resistance with their novel modes of action. This work focuses on the antibacterial activity of the NCR169 peptide derivatives as we previously demonstrated that the C-terminal sequence of NCR169 (NCR169C17-38) has antifungal activity, affecting the viability, morphology, and biofilm formation of various Candida species. Here, we show that NCR169C17-38 and its various substituted derivatives are also able to kill ESKAPE pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. The replacement of the two cysteines with serines enhanced the antimicrobial activity against most of the tested bacteria, indicating that the formation of a disulfide bridge is not required. As tryptophan can play role in the interaction with bacterial membranes and thus in antibacterial activity, we replaced the tryptophans in the NCR169C17-38C12,17/S sequence with various modified tryptophans, namely 5-methyl tryptophan, 5-fluoro tryptophan, 6-fluoro tryptophan, 7-aza tryptophan, and 5-methoxy tryptophan, in the synthesis of NCR169C17-38C12,17/S analogs. The results demonstrate that the presence of modified fluorotryptophans can significantly enhance the antimicrobial activity without notable hemolytic effect, and this finding could be beneficial for the further development of new AMPs from the members of the NCR peptide family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian H. O. Howan
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sándor Jenei
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Plant Biology, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - János Szolomajer
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Endre
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Plant Biology, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Éva Kondorosi
- Biological Research Centre, Institute of Plant Biology, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor K. Tóth
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
- MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
- Correspondence:
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11
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Pourhajibagher M, Hosseini N, Bahador A. Antimicrobial activity of D-amino acid in combination with photo-sonoactivated hypericin nanoparticles against Acinetobacter baumannii. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:23. [PMID: 36658487 PMCID: PMC9850556 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02758-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains is increasing worldwide. To overcome these life-threatening infections, the development of new treatment approaches is critical. For this purpose, this study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial photo-sonodynamic therapy (aPSDT) using hypericin nanoparticles (HypNP) in combination with D-Tryptophan (D-Trp) against A. baumannii. MATERIALS AND METHODS HypNP was synthesized and characterized, followed by the determination of the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of HypNP and D-Trp by checkerboard assay. Next, the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm potential of HypNP@D-Trp-mediated aPSDT against A. baumannii was evaluated. Finally, the anti-virulence activity of aPSDT using HypNP@D-Trp was accessed following the characterization of HypNP@D-Trp interaction with AbaI using in silico virtual screening and molecular docking. RESULTS A synergistic activity in the combination of HypNP and D-Trp against A. baumannii was observed with a FIC index value of 0.5. There was a 5.10 log10 CFU/mL reduction in the cell viability of A. baumannii when the bacterial cells were treated with 1/2 × MIC of HypNP@D-Trp and subsequently exposed to ultrasound waves and blue light (P < 0.05). Moreover, a significant biofilm degradation effect on biofilm-associated cells of A. baumannii was observed after treatment with aPSDT using 2 × MIC of HypNP@D-Trp in comparison with the control groups (P < 0.05). According to the molecular docking analysis of the protein-ligand complex, Hyp with a high affinity for AbaI showed a binding affinity of - 9.41 kcal/mol. Also, the expression level of abaI gene was significantly downregulated by 10.32-fold in A. baumannii treated with aPSDT as comprised with the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that HypNP@D-Trp-mediated aPSDT can be considered a promising strategy to overcome the infections caused by A. baumannii by reducing the growth of bacterial biofilm and decreasing the expression of abaI as a gene involved in A. baumannii biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Pourhajibagher
- grid.411705.60000 0001 0166 0922Dental Research Center, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nava Hosseini
- grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Pavillon Charles-Eugène-Marchand, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6 Canada ,grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-Informatique, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6 Canada ,grid.421142.00000 0000 8521 1798Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), Quebec City, QC G1V 4G5 Canada
| | - Abbas Bahador
- Fellowship in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, BioHealth Lab, Tehran, Iran ,grid.411705.60000 0001 0166 0922Department of Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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12
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Casciaro B, Loffredo MR, Cappiello F, O’Sullivan N, Tortora C, Manzer R, Karmakar S, Haskell A, Hasan SK, Mangoni ML. KDEON WK-11: A short antipseudomonal peptide with promising potential. Front Chem 2022; 10:1000765. [PMID: 36465859 PMCID: PMC9713011 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1000765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The plight of antimicrobial resistance continues to limit the availability of antibiotic treatment effective in combating resistant bacterial infections. Despite efforts made to rectify this issue and minimise its effects on both patients and the wider community, progress in this area remains minimal. Here, we de-novo designed a peptide named KDEON WK-11, building on previous work establishing effective residues and structures active in distinguished antimicrobial peptides such as lactoferrin. We assessed its antimicrobial activity against an array of bacterial strains and identified its most potent effect, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an MIC value of 3.12 μM, lower than its counterparts developed with similar residues and chain lengths. We then determined its anti-biofilm properties, potential mechanism of action and in vitro cytotoxicity. We identified that KDEON WK-11 had a broad range of antimicrobial activity and specific capabilities to fight Pseudomonas aeruginosa with low in vitro cytotoxicity and promising potential to express anti-lipopolysaccharide qualities, which could be exploited to expand its properties into an anti-sepsis agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Niamh O’Sullivan
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Carola Tortora
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, “Department of Excellence 2018–2022”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rizwan Manzer
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Sougata Karmakar
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Alan Haskell
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Syed K. Hasan
- Iuventis Technologies Inc. (DBA Immunotrex Biologics), Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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13
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Luong AD, Buzid A, Luong JHT. Important Roles and Potential Uses of Natural and Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) in Oral Diseases: Cavity, Periodontal Disease, and Thrush. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:jfb13040175. [PMID: 36278644 PMCID: PMC9589978 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13040175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous epithelial cells and sometimes leukocytes release AMPs as their first line of defense. AMPs encompass cationic histatins, defensins, and cathelicidin to encounter oral pathogens with minimal resistance. However, their concentrations are significantly below the effective levels and AMPs are unstable under physiological conditions due to proteolysis, acid hydrolysis, and salt effects. In parallel to a search for more effective AMPs from natural sources, considerable efforts have focused on synthetic stable and low-cytotoxicy AMPs with significant activities against microorganisms. Using natural AMP templates, various attempts have been used to synthesize sAMPs with different charges, hydrophobicity, chain length, amino acid sequence, and amphipathicity. Thus far, sAMPs have been designed to target Streptococcus mutans and other common oral pathogens. Apart from sAMPs with antifungal activities against Candida albicans, future endeavors should focus on sAMPs with capabilities to promote remineralization and antibacterial adhesion. Delivery systems using nanomaterials and biomolecules are promising to stabilize, reduce cytotoxicity, and improve the antimicrobial activities of AMPs against oral pathogens. Nanostructured AMPs will soon become a viable alternative to antibiotics due to their antimicrobial mechanisms, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low drug residue, and ease of synthesis and modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Donald Luong
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14215, USA
| | - Alyah Buzid
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - John H. T. Luong
- School of Chemistry and Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), University College Cork, College Road, T12 YN60 Cork, Ireland
- Correspondence: or
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14
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A new bioinspired peptide on defensin from C. annuum fruits: Antimicrobial activity, mechanisms of action and therapeutical potential. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2022; 1866:130218. [PMID: 35905923 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antimicrobial peptides, natural or synthetic, appear as promising molecules for antimicrobial therapy because of their both broad antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action. Herein, we determine the anti-Candida and antimycobacterial activities, mechanism of action on yeasts, and cytotoxicity on mammalian cells in the presence of the bioinspired peptide CaDef2.1G27-K44. METHODS CaDef2.1G27-K44 was designed to attain the following criteria: high positive net charge; low molecular weight (<3000 Da); Boman index ≤2.5; and total hydrophobic ratio ≥ 40%. The mechanism of action was studied by growth inhibition, plasma membrane permeabilization, ROS induction, mitochondrial functionality, and metacaspase activity assays. The cytotoxicity on macrophages, monocytes, and erythrocytes were also determined. RESULTS CaDef2.1G27-K44 showed inhibitory activity against Candida spp. with MIC100 values ranging from 25 to 50 μM and the standard and clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with MIC50 of 33.2 and 55.4 μM, respectively. We demonstrate that CaDef2.1G27-K44 is active against yeasts at different salt concentrations, induced morphological alterations, caused membrane permeabilization, increased ROS, causes loss of mitochondrial functionality, and activation of metacaspases. CaDef2.1G27-K44 has low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. CONCLUSIONS The results obtained showed that CaDef2.1G27-K44 has great antimicrobial activity against Candida spp. and M. tuberculosis with low toxicity to host cells. For Candida spp., the treatment with CaDef2.1G27-K44 induces a process of regulated cell death with apoptosis-like features. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE We show a new AMP bioinspired with physicochemical characteristics important for selectivity and antimicrobial activity, which is a promising candidate for drug development, mainly to control Candida infections.
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15
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Shen C, Lin Y, Mohammadi TN, Masuda Y, Honjoh KI, Miyamoto T. Characterization of novel antimicrobial peptides designed on the basis of amino acid sequence of peptides from egg white hydrolysate. Int J Food Microbiol 2022; 378:109802. [PMID: 35752018 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is one of the most prevalent foodborne pathogens responsible for food poisoning and is spread through the consumption of contaminated poultry products. In this study, four antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with varying hydrophobicity and helical structure-forming tendencies were designed and synthesized based on the amino acid sequences of peptides from egg white hydrolysate. Two of these AMPs, P1R3 (KSWKKHVVSGFFLR) and P1C (KSWKKHVVSGFFLRLWVHKK), exhibited inhibitory activity against S. Typhimurium and compromised its biofilm-forming ability. Investigation of their modes of action revealed that P1R3 and P1C interact with and permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria, leading to membrane potential dissipation, damage to membrane integrity, and consequent bacterial death. P1R3 also bound to S. Typhimurium DNA, resulting in DNA aggregation or precipitation. Moreover, both peptides showed negligible cytotoxicity to Vero cells, and P1C displayed significant antimicrobial activity in chicken meat. Peptides P1R3 and P1C, therefore, have the potential to be developed as promising food preservatives, especially against pathogenic S. Typhimurium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cunkuan Shen
- College of Biological and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315100, China; Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioscience and Bioenvironmental Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yunzhi Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioscience and Bioenvironmental Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Tahir Noor Mohammadi
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioscience and Bioenvironmental Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yoshimitsu Masuda
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Honjoh
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyamoto
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
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16
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Matthyssen T, Li W, Holden JA, Lenzo JC, Hadjigol S, O’Brien-Simpson NM. The Potential of Modified and Multimeric Antimicrobial Peptide Materials as Superbug Killers. Front Chem 2022; 9:795433. [PMID: 35083194 PMCID: PMC8785218 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.795433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are found in nearly all living organisms, show broad spectrum antibacterial activity, and can modulate the immune system. Furthermore, they have a very low level of resistance induction in bacteria, which makes them an ideal target for drug development and for targeting multi-drug resistant bacteria 'Superbugs'. Despite this promise, AMP therapeutic use is hampered as typically they are toxic to mammalian cells, less active under physiological conditions and are susceptible to proteolytic degradation. Research has focused on addressing these limitations by modifying natural AMP sequences by including e.g., d-amino acids and N-terminal and amino acid side chain modifications to alter structure, hydrophobicity, amphipathicity, and charge of the AMP to improve antimicrobial activity and specificity and at the same time reduce mammalian cell toxicity. Recently, multimerisation (dimers, oligomer conjugates, dendrimers, polymers and self-assembly) of natural and modified AMPs has further been used to address these limitations and has created compounds that have improved activity and biocompatibility compared to their linear counterparts. This review investigates how modifying and multimerising AMPs impacts their activity against bacteria in planktonic and biofilm states of growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Matthyssen
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Wenyi Li
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - James A. Holden
- Centre for Oral Health Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jason C. Lenzo
- Centre for Oral Health Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sara Hadjigol
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Neil M. O’Brien-Simpson
- ACTV Research Group, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Dental School, Centre for Oral Health Research, Royal Dental Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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17
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Wang Z, Li Q, Li J, Li J, Shang L, Chou S, Lyu Y, Shan A. The Trp-rich Antimicrobial Amphiphiles With Intramolecular Aromatic Interactions for the Treatment of Bacterial Infection. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:733441. [PMID: 34721331 PMCID: PMC8548882 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.733441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is emerging as a hot issue with the abuse and overuse of antibiotics, and the shortage of effective antimicrobial agents against multidrug resistant bacteria creates a huge problem to treat the threatening nosocomial skin and soft tissue infection. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibite enormous potential as one of the most promising candidates of antibiotic to fight against pathogenic infections because of its unique membrane penetration mechanism to kill pathogens, whereas the clinical application of AMPs still faces the challenges of production cost, stability, safety, and design strategy. Herein, a series of Trp-rich peptides was designed following the principle of paired Trp plated at the ith and ith+4 position on the backbone of peptides, based on the template (VKKX)4, where X represents W, A, or L, to study the effect of intramolecular aromatic interactions on the bioactivity of AMPs. Through comparing the antimicrobial performance, hemolysis, cytotoxicity, and stability, VW5 which is equipped with the characters of direct antimicrobial efficacy (GM=1.68μM) and physical destruction of bacterial membrane (SEM and electron microscopy) stood out from the engineering peptides. VW5 also performed well in mice models, which could significantly decrease the bacterial colony (VW5 vs infection group, 12.72±2.26 vs 5.52±2.01×109CFU/abscess), the area of dermo-necrosis (VW5 vs infection group, 0.74±0.29 vs 1.86±0.98mm2) and the inflammation cytokine levels at the abscess site without causing toxicity to the skin. Overall, this study provides a strategy and template to diminish the randomness in the exploration and design of novel peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anshan Shan
- The Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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18
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Abd-Elhamid AI, El-Gendi H, Abdallah AE, El-Fakharany EM. Novel Nanocombinations of l-Tryptophan and l-Cysteine: Preparation, Characterization, and Their Applications for Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1595. [PMID: 34683888 PMCID: PMC8540933 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tungsten oxide WO3 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in a form of nanosheets with homogeneous size and dimensions in one step through acid precipitation using a cation exchange column. The resulting WO3 nanosheet surface was decorated with one of the two amino acids (AAs) l-tryptophan (Trp) or l-cysteine (Cys) and evaluated for their dye removal, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities. A noticeable improvement in the biological activity of WO3 NPs was detected upon amino acid modification compared to the original WO3. The prepared WO3-Trp and WO3-Cys exhibited strong dye removal activity toward methylene blue and safranin dyes with complete dye removal (100%) after 6 h. WO3-Cys and WO3-Trp NPs revealed higher broad-spectrum antibacterial activity toward both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, with strong antifungal activity toward Candida albicans. Anticancer results of the modified WO3-Cys and WO3-Trp NPs against various kinds of cancer cells, including MCF-7, Caco-2, and HepG-2 cells, indicate that they have a potent effect in a dose-dependent manner with high selectivity to cancer cells and safety against normal cells. The expression levels of E2F2 and Bcl-2 genes were found to be suppressed after treatment with both WO3-Cys and WO3-Trp NPs more than 5-FU-treated cells. While expression level of the p53 gene in all tested cells was up-regulated after treatment 5-8 folds more as compared to untreated cells. The docking results confirmed the ability of both NPs to bind to the p53 gene with relevant potency in binding to other tested gens and participation of cysteine SH-functional group in such interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed I. Abd-Elhamid
- Composites and Nanostructured Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA City), New Borg El-Arab 21934, Egypt;
| | - Hamada El-Gendi
- Bioprocess Development Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA City), New Borg El-Arab 21934, Egypt
| | - Abdallah E. Abdallah
- Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Design Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt;
| | - Esmail M. El-Fakharany
- Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute GEBRI, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA City), New Borg El-Arab 21934, Egypt
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Kang HK, Park J, Seo CH, Park Y. PEP27-2, a Potent Antimicrobial Cell-Penetrating Peptide, Reduces Skin Abscess Formation during Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Mouse When Used in Combination with Antibiotics. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:2620-2636. [PMID: 34251811 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PEP27, a 27-amino acid (aa) peptide secreted by Streptococcus pneumoniae, is an autolytic peptide that functions as a major virulence factor. To develop a clinically applicable antimicrobial peptide (AMP), we designed PEP27 analogs with Trp substitutions to enhance its antimicrobial activity compared to that of PEP27. Particularly, PEP27-2 showed strong antimicrobial activity against a wide variety of bacteria, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. It was found that the antimicrobial activity of PEP27-2 was increased by substituting Trp for the aa at the middle position of PEP27. We found that PEP27-2 acts as an effective cell-penetrating peptide in bacterial and mammalian cells. Here, we proved that subcutaneous infection with MDR Staphylococcus aureus induced skin lesions such as skeletal muscle damage, deep inflammation, and necrosis of the overlaying dermis in mice. Combination treatment with antibiotics revealed synergistic effects, remarkably reducing abscess size and improving the bacteria removal rate from the infection site. Moreover, PEP27-2-antibiotic combination treatment reduced inflammation, lowering levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) in skin abscess tissue. The results suggest that the PEP27-2 peptide is a promising therapeutic option for combating MDR bacterial strains by enhancing antibiotic penetration and protecting against MDR bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Kyoung Kang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea
| | - Jonggwan Park
- Department of Bioinformatics, Kongju National University, Kongju 32588, Korea
| | - Chang Ho Seo
- Department of Bioinformatics, Kongju National University, Kongju 32588, Korea
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea
- Research Center for Proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea
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20
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Hong MJ, Kim MK, Park Y. Comparative Antimicrobial Activity of Hp404 Peptide and Its Analogs against Acinetobacter baumannii. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115540. [PMID: 34073939 PMCID: PMC8197367 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An amphipathic α-helical peptide, Hp1404, was isolated from the venomous gland of the scorpion Heterometrus petersii. Hp1404 exhibits antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus but is cytotoxic. In this study, we designed antimicrobial peptides by substituting amino acids at the 14 C-terminal residues of Hp1404 to reduce toxicity and improve antibacterial activity. The analog peptides, which had an amphipathic α-helical structure, were active against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, particularly multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and showed lower cytotoxicity than Hp1404. N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine uptake and DisC3-5 assays demonstrated that the peptides kill bacteria by effectively permeating the outer and cytoplasmic membranes. Additionally, the analog peptides inhibited biofilm formation largely than Hp1404 at low concentrations. These results suggest that the analog peptides of Hp1404 can be used as therapeutic agents against A. baumannii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Ji Hong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea; (M.J.H.); (M.K.K.)
| | - Min Kyung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea; (M.J.H.); (M.K.K.)
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea; (M.J.H.); (M.K.K.)
- Research Center for Proteineous Materials, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-62-230-6854; Fax: +82-62-225-6758
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21
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Lee SY, Chen F, Lee TY. Tryptamine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for highly sensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium. Analyst 2021; 146:2559-2566. [PMID: 33899066 DOI: 10.1039/d0an02458a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is significant demand for the development of rapid, sensitive, and specific methods for detecting bacterial pathogens in order to identify the causes of food poisoning. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) allow for the culture-free detection of bacterial pathogens and are not as labor intensive and time consuming as culture-based detection methods. However, suitable sample preparation methods must be developed for the realization of simple, rapid, and sensitive NAATs. To resolve this problem, we developed a new sample preparation method that integrates bacterial pathogen enrichment and DNA extraction. We engineered magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with a physicochemical probe (tryptamine) for single-tube sample preparation with minimal sample loss. The tryptamine-functionalized MNPs (Indole@MNPs) showed inherent hydrophobicity owing to the indole side chain and a change in their zeta potential with a decrease in the pH. Because of their physicochemical characteristics, the Indole@MNPs could adsorb bacterial pathogens, thus allowing sample enrichment and DNA binding and release through weak electrostatic interactions via pH control. We successfully detected Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, a common cause of bacterial food poisoning, at a concentration of 10 CFU/10 mL in milk samples using quantitative PCR. Thus, the proposed method allows for the simple and sensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium and can be used for nontyphoidal salmonella detection to ensure food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon-Yeong Lee
- Department of Technology Education, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Feixiong Chen
- Department of Convergence System Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Yoon Lee
- Department of Technology Education, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea and Department of Convergence System Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
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22
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Saur JS, Wirtz SN, Schilling NA, Krismer B, Peschel A, Grond S. Distinct Lugdunins from a New Efficient Synthesis and Broad Exploitation of Its MRSA-Antimicrobial Structure. J Med Chem 2021; 64:4034-4058. [PMID: 33779184 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A new solid-phase peptide synthesis and bioprofiling of the antimicrobial activity of lugdunin, a fibupeptide, enable a comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) study (MRSA Staphylococcus aureus). Distinct lugdunin analogues with variation of the three important amino acids Val2, Trp3, and Leu4 are readily available based on the established high-output synthesis. This efficient synthesis concept takes advantage of the presynthesized thiazolidine building block. To gain further knowledge of SAR, d-Val2, and d-Leu4 were replaced with aliphatic amino acids. For l-Trp3 derivatization, a set of non-natural aromatic amino acids with manifold substitution and annulation patterns precisely shows structural imperatives, starting from the exchange of d-Val6 → d-Trp6 with a 2-fold improved biological activity. d-Trp6-lugdunin analogues with additional variation of d-Val2 and d-Leu4 residues were designed and synthesized followed by antimicrobial profiling. For the first time, these SAR studies deliver valuable information on the tolerance of other amino acids to d-Val2, l-Trp3, and d-Leu4 in the sequence of lugdunin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian S Saur
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian N Wirtz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Nadine A Schilling
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Krismer
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Grond
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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Ang QA, Arfan G, Ong CYF, Ng FM, Ong EHQ, Chia CSB. Designing a leucine-rich antibacterial nonapeptide with potent activity against mupirocin-resistant MRSA via a structure-activity relationship study. Chem Biol Drug Des 2021; 97:1185-1193. [PMID: 33754480 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is the main aetiological agent responsible for the majority of human skin infections. Of particular concern is the methicillin-resistant variety, commonly known as MRSA. The extensive use of the first-line topical antibiotic of choice, mupirocin, has inevitably resulted in the emergence of resistant strains, signalling an urgent need for the development of new antibacterials with new mechanisms of action. In this work, we describe how we designed a novel cationic nonapeptide, containing only leucine and two lysine residues, with potent anti-MRSA activity and a rapid bactericidal mode of action. Coupled to a favourable safety profile towards human skin fibroblasts, we believe nonapeptide 11 has high potential for further development as a mupirocin replacement candidate to treat skin infections caused by MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi An Ang
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Giovinna Arfan
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Chu Yang Fann Ong
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Fui Mee Ng
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Esther H Q Ong
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Cheng San Brian Chia
- Experimental Drug Development Centre, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
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Shang D, Han X, Du W, Kou Z, Jiang F. Trp-Containing Antibacterial Peptides Impair Quorum Sensing and Biofilm Development in Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Exhibit Synergistic Effects With Antibiotics. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:611009. [PMID: 33643239 PMCID: PMC7906020 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.611009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing (QS) to control virulence, biofilm formation and antibiotic efflux pump expression. The development of effective small molecules targeting the QS system and biofilm formation represents a novel attractive strategy. In this present study, the effects of a series of Trp-containing peptides on the QS-regulated virulence and biofilm development of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa, as well as their synergistic antibacterial activity with three classes of traditional chemical antibiotics were investigated. The results showed that Trp-containing peptides at low concentrations reduced the production of QS-regulated virulence factors by downregulating the gene expression of both the las and rhl systems in the strain MRPA0108. Biofilm formation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with extracellular polysaccharide production inhibition by downregulating pelA, algD, and pslA transcription. These changes correlated with alterations in the extracellular production of pseudomonal virulence factors and swarming motility. In addition, the combination of Trp-containing peptides at low concentration with the antibiotics ceftazidime and piperacillin provided synergistic effects. Notably, L11W and L12W showed the highest synergy with ceftazidime and piperacillin. A mechanistic study demonstrated that the Trp-containing peptides, especially L12W, significantly decreased β-lactamase activity and expression of efflux pump genes OprM, MexX, and MexA, resulting in a reduction in antibiotic efflux from MRPA0108 cells and thus increasing the antibacterial activity of these antibiotics against MRPA0108.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejing Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Xue Han
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Wanying Du
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhiru Kou
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Fengquan Jiang
- Clinical Laboratory Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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25
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Toledo EB, Lucas DR, Simão TLBV, Calixto SD, Lassounskaia E, Muzitano MF, Damica FZ, Gomes VM, de Oliveira Carvalho A. Design of improved synthetic antifungal peptides with targeted variations in charge, hydrophobicity and chirality based on a correlation study between biological activity and primary structure of plant defensin γ-cores. Amino Acids 2021; 53:219-237. [PMID: 33483849 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-020-02929-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Microbial resistance to available drugs is a growing health threat imposing the need for the development of new drugs. The scaffold of plant defensins, including their γ-cores, are particularly good candidates for drug design. This work aimed to improve the antifungal activity of a previous design peptide, named A36,42,44γ32-46VuDef (for short DD) against yeasts by altering its biochemical parameters. We explore the correlation of the biological activity and structure of plant defensins and compared their primary structures by superimposition with VuDef1 and DD which indicated us the favorable position and the amino acid to be changed. Three new peptides with modifications in charge, hydrophobicity (RR and WR) and chirality (D-RR) were designed and tested against pathogenic yeasts. Inhibition was determined by absorbance. Viability of mammalian cells was determined by MTT. The three designed peptides had better inhibitory activity against the yeasts with better potency and spectrum of yeast species inhibition, with low toxicity to mammalian cells. WR, the most hydrophobic and cationic, exhibited better antifungal activity and lower toxicity. Our study provides experimental evidence that targeted changes in the primary structure of peptides based on plant defensins γ-core primary structures prove to be a good tool for the synthesis of new compounds that may be useful as alternative antifungal drugs. The method described did not have the drawback of synthesis of several peptides, because alterations are guided. When compared to other methods, the design process described is efficient and viable to those with scarce resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefany Braz Toledo
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, nº 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Douglas Ribeiro Lucas
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, nº 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Thatiana Lopes Biá Ventura Simão
- Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Sanderson Dias Calixto
- Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Elena Lassounskaia
- Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Michele Frazão Muzitano
- Laboratório de Produtos Bioativos, Curso de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Macaé, Pólo Novo Cavaleiro-IMMT, Macaé, RJ, 27933-378, Brazil
| | - Filipe Zanirati Damica
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, nº 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Valdirene Moreira Gomes
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, nº 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP 28013-602, Brazil
| | - André de Oliveira Carvalho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, nº 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP 28013-602, Brazil.
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Ferreira AR, Teixeira C, Sousa CF, Bessa LJ, Gomes P, Gameiro P. How Insertion of a Single Tryptophan in the N-Terminus of a Cecropin A-Melittin Hybrid Peptide Changes Its Antimicrobial and Biophysical Profile. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11010048. [PMID: 33445476 PMCID: PMC7826622 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the era of antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need for efficient antibiotic therapies to fight bacterial infections. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMP) are promising lead compounds given their membrane-targeted mechanism of action, and high affinity towards the anionic composition of bacterial membranes. We present a new CAMP, W-BP100, derived from the highly active BP100, holding an additional tryptophan at the N-terminus. W-BP100 showed a broader antibacterial activity, demonstrating a potent activity against Gram-positive strains. Revealing a high partition constant towards anionic over zwitterionic large unilamellar vesicles and inducing membrane saturation at a high peptide/lipid ratio, W-BP100 has a preferential location for hydrophobic environments. Contrary to BP100, almost no aggregation of anionic vesicles is observed around saturation conditions and at higher concentrations no aggregation is observed. With these results, it is possible to state that with the incorporation of a single tryptophan to the N-terminus, a highly active peptide was obtained due to the π-electron system of tryptophan, resulting in negatively charged clouds, that participate in cation-π interactions with lysine residues. Furthermore, we propose that W-BP100 action can be achieved by electrostatic interactions followed by peptide translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Ferreira
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Carla F. Sousa
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences Campus E8 1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Lucinda J. Bessa
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Paula Gomes
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
| | - Paula Gameiro
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde da Rede de Química e Tecnologia (LAQV-REQUIMTE), Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.F.); (C.T.); or (L.J.B.); (P.G.)
- Correspondence:
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28
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Wei H, Xie Z, Tan X, Guo R, Song Y, Xie X, Wang R, Li L, Wang M, Zhang Y. Temporin-Like Peptides Show Antimicrobial and Anti-Biofilm Activities against Streptococcus mutans with Reduced Hemolysis. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25235724. [PMID: 33291521 PMCID: PMC7730238 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25235724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In our previous study, temporin-GHaR (GHaR) showed potent antimicrobial activity with strong hemolytic toxicity. To overcome its weakness, we designed GHaR6R, GHaR7R, GHaR8R, GHaR9R, and GHaR9W by changing the number of positive charges and the hydrophobic surface of GHaR. With the exception of GHaR7R, the hemolytic toxicity of the derived peptides had been reduced, and the antimicrobial activities remained close to the parent peptide (except for GHaR9R). GHaR6R, GHaR7R, GHaR8R, and GHaR9W exhibited a great bactericidal effect on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), which is one of the main pathogens causing dental caries. According to the membrane permeation and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, these derived peptides targeted to the cell membranes of planktonic bacteria, contributing to the disruption of the membrane integrity and leakage of the intracellular contents. Moreover, they inhibited the formation of biofilms and eradicated the mature biofilms of S. mutans. Compared with GHaR7R, the derived peptides showed less cytotoxicity to human oral epithelial cells (HOECs). The derived peptides are expected to be the molecular templates for designing antibacterial agents to prevent dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanqi Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Zhipeng Xie
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Xiuchuan Tan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Ran Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Yanting Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Xi Xie
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Rong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Lushuang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
| | - Manchuriga Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Correspondence: (M.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yingxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.W.); (Z.X.); (X.T.); (R.G.); (Y.S.); (X.X.); (R.W.); (L.L.)
- Correspondence: (M.W.); (Y.Z.)
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Ramezanzadeh M, Saeedi N, Mesbahfar E, Farrokh P, Salimi F, Rezaei A. Design and characterization of new antimicrobial peptides derived from aurein 1.2 with enhanced antibacterial activity. Biochimie 2020; 181:42-51. [PMID: 33271197 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising alternative agents for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Aurein 1.2 is a natural 13-amino acid AMP with antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we designed three novel AMPs: aurein M1 (A10W), aurein M2 (D4K, E11K), and aurein M3 (A10W, D4K, E11K) to analyze the effect of Trp substitution and enhancement of positive charge on the activity of aurein 1.2. The AMP probability, physicochemical properties, secondary and tertiary structures, and amphipathic structure were predicted by various bioinformatics tools. After the synthesis of the peptides, their antibacterial activity, hemolysis, cytotoxicity, and structural analysis were assayed. Compared to the selectivity of aurein 1.2, the selectivity of aurein M2 and M3 with a net positive charge of +5 was improved 11.30- and 8.00-fold against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, respectively. The hemolytic activity of aurein M2 was lower than that of aurein 1.2 and M3, while the higher percentage of human fibroblast cells were alive in the presence of aurein M3. Also, the MICs of aurein M3 toward Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at the physiologic salt were ≤16, which is recommended as a promising candidate for clinical investigation. Circular dichroism analysis indicated an alpha-helical structure in the peptide analogs that is similar to aurein 1.2 in the presence of 10 mM SDS. Therefore, increasing positive charge can be used successfully as an approach for improving the potency and selectivity of AMPs. Moreover, the beneficial effect of Trp substitution depends on its position and the sequence of peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nasrin Saeedi
- School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran
| | | | - Parisa Farrokh
- School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran; Institute of Biological Sciences, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.
| | | | - Arezou Rezaei
- School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran; Institute of Biological Sciences, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran
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Marimuthu SK, Nagarajan K, Perumal SK, Palanisamy S, Subbiah L. Structural stability of antimicrobial peptides rich in tryptophan, proline and arginine: a computational study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 40:3551-3559. [PMID: 33210568 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1848631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The host defense peptides or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) often contain short sequence of amino acids, either positive or negatively charged and express broad-spectrum antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity. Many researchers had reported that tryptophan, arginine and proline rich AMPs have a promising source of next-generation antibiotics. Nowadays, AMPs are used as a possible therapeutic source for future antibiotics. In the present study, the amino acid sequences of 2924 AMPs belonging to various sources rich in Tryptophan, Proline and Arginine was chosen for investigation. The AMPs were further categorized according to their source, structure and antimicrobial activities. The AMPs with tryptophan, arginine, proline residues in abundance with maximum sequence length of 20 amino acids alone was obtained. Homology modeling was performed with PEP-FOLD and the modeled structures were evaluated using RAMPAGE to identify the structural information. Further, the stability of peptide in aqueous condition was probed using molecular dynamics simulations.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathish Kumar Marimuthu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (BIT) Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Krishnanand Nagarajan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (BIT) Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Sathish Kumar Perumal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (BIT) Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Selvamani Palanisamy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (BIT) Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Latha Subbiah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology (BIT) Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
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Shah NR, Voisin TB, Parsons ES, Boyd CM, Hoogenboom BW, Bubeck D. Structural basis for tuning activity and membrane specificity of bacterial cytolysins. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5818. [PMID: 33199689 PMCID: PMC7669874 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19482-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) are pore-forming proteins that serve as major virulence factors for pathogenic bacteria. They target eukaryotic cells using different mechanisms, but all require the presence of cholesterol to pierce lipid bilayers. How CDCs use cholesterol to selectively lyse cells is essential for understanding virulence strategies of several pathogenic bacteria, and for repurposing CDCs to kill new cellular targets. Here we address that question by trapping an early state of pore formation for the CDC intermedilysin, bound to the human immune receptor CD59 in a nanodisc model membrane. Our cryo electron microscopy map reveals structural transitions required for oligomerization, which include the lateral movement of a key amphipathic helix. We demonstrate that the charge of this helix is crucial for tuning lytic activity of CDCs. Furthermore, we discover modifications that overcome the requirement of cholesterol for membrane rupture, which may facilitate engineering the target-cell specificity of pore-forming proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nita R Shah
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tomas B Voisin
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Edward S Parsons
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK
| | - Courtney M Boyd
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Bart W Hoogenboom
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AH, UK
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Doryen Bubeck
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Lee H, Yang S, Shin SY. Improved Cell Selectivity of Symmetric α‐Helical Peptides Derived From Trp‐Rich Antimicrobial Peptides. B KOREAN CHEM SOC 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/bkcs.12091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hyunhee Lee
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
| | - Sungtae Yang
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
| | - Song Yub Shin
- Department of Medical Science, Graduate School Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine School of Medicine, Chosun University Gwangju 61452 Republic of Korea
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Modification and Targeted Design of N-Terminal Truncates Derived from Brevinin with Improved Therapeutic Efficacy. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9080209. [PMID: 32781587 PMCID: PMC7464788 DOI: 10.3390/biology9080209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of molecules that play an essential role in innate immune regulation. The Brevinin-1 family are AMPs that show strong pharmacological and antimicrobial potential. A novel peptide, B1A, was designed based on the primary structure of brevinin-1PLb and brevinin-1PLc. Subsequently, a synthesised replicate was subjected to a series of bioassays and was found to display antimicrobial activity. However, it also displayed high levels of haemolysis in a horse red blood cell haemolytic assay, suggesting potential toxicity. Therefore, we rationally designed a number of B1A analogues with aim of retaining antimicrobial activity, lowering toxicity, and to explore the structure–activity relationship of its N-terminus. B1A and its analogues still retained the “Rana Box” and the FLP-motif, which is a feature of this subfamily. However, the introduction of Lys and Trp residues into the peptide sequences revealed that antimicrobial activity of these analogues remained unchanged once the hydrophobicity and the charge reached the threshold. Hence, the idea that the hydrophobicity saturation in different situations is related to antimicrobial activity can be understood via the structure–activity relationship. Meanwhile, it could also be the starting point for the generation of peptides with specific antimicrobial activity.
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Feng X, Jin S, Wang M, Pang Q, Liu C, Liu R, Wang Y, Yang H, Liu F, Liu Y. The Critical Role of Tryptophan in the Antimicrobial Activity and Cell Toxicity of the Duck Antimicrobial Peptide DCATH. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1146. [PMID: 32670215 PMCID: PMC7326067 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted more attention for their potential candidates for new antibiotic drugs. As a novel identified cathelicidin AMP from duck, dCATH owns broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities but with a noticeable toxicity. To explore dCATH-derived AMPs with reduced cell toxicity and improved cell selectivity, a series of truncated and tryptophan-replaced peptides of dCATH were designed. Two truncated peptides containing one of the two tryptophan (Trp) residues at the positions of 4 and 17 (W4 and W17) of dCATH, dCATH(1-16) and dCATH(5-20), showed strong antibacterial activity, but didn't show obvious hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. The derived peptides not containing Trp didn't possess obvious antimicrobial activity, and their hemolytic and cytotoxic effect was also diminished. Also as evidence by Trp fluorescence experiment that existence of W4 and W17 was crucially important to the antimicrobial activity, hemolysis and cytotoxicity of dCATH, and one of the two Trp residues was competent and necessary to retain its antimicrobial activity. Antibacterial mechanism analysis showed that dCATH(1-16) and dCATH(5-20) killed bacterial cells by increasing permeability and causing a loss of membrane integrity. dCATH(1-16) and dCATH(5-20) possessed insignificant inhibitory activity against levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and NO in RAW 264.7 cells treated with LPS. In vivo, intraperitoneal administration of the two peptides significantly decreased mortality and provided protection against LPS-induced inflammation in mice challenged with lethal dose of LPS. The two peptides, dCATH(1-16) and dCATH(5-20), which possessed high antibacterial activity and cell selectivity, may herald development prospects as new antibacterial agents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingjun Feng
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Sanjun Jin
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Min Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Qian Pang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Chunlong Liu
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Ruiqi Liu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yingjie Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Fangju Liu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yueying Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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35
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Bozelli JC, Yune J, Dang X, Narayana JL, Wang G, Epand RM. Membrane activity of two short Trp-rich amphipathic peptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183280. [PMID: 32220553 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Short linear antimicrobial peptides are attractive templates for developing new antibiotics. Here, it is described a study of the interaction between two short Trp-rich peptides, horine and verine-L, and model membranes. Isothermal titration calorimetry studies showed that the affinity of these peptides towards large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) having a lipid composition mimicking the lipid composition of S. aureus membranes is ca. 30-fold higher than that towards E. coli mimetics. The former interaction is driven by enthalpy and entropy, while the latter case is driven by entropy, suggesting differences in the forces that play a role in the binding to the two types of model membranes. Upon membrane binding the peptides acquired different conformations according to circular dichroism (CD) studies; however, in both cases CD studies indicated stacked W-residues. Peptide-induced membrane permeabilization, lipid flip-flop, molecular packing at the membrane-water interface, and lateral lipid segregation were observed in all cases. However, the extent of these peptide-induced changes on membrane properties was always higher in S. aureus than E. coli mimetics. Both peptides seem to act via a similar mechanism of membrane permeabilization of S. aureus membrane mimetics, while their mechanisms seem to differ in the case of E. coli. This may be the result of differences in both the peptides´ structure and the membrane lipid composition between both types of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- José C Bozelli
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Jenny Yune
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Xiangli Dang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5990, USA
| | - Jayaram Lakshmaiah Narayana
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5990, USA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5990, USA
| | - Richard M Epand
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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36
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Han X, Kou Z, Jiang F, Sun X, Shang D. Interactions of Designed Trp-Containing Antimicrobial Peptides with DNA of Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. DNA Cell Biol 2020; 40:414-424. [PMID: 32023094 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2019.4874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the intracellular mechanisms of seven Trp-containing peptides in clinically isolated multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA0108). The results showed that the Trp-containing peptides had high antibacterial activity against the MRPA0108 strain, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 6.25 to 25 μM. The peptides rapidly and completely killed the MRPA0108 at a concentration of 16 × MIC at 60-90 min. The Trp-containing peptides were found to penetrate the bacterial cell membrane and accumulate in the cells. A DNA gel retardation assay indicated that the peptides were able to bind with the genomic DNA of MRPA0108 cells; L5W exhibited a stronger DNA binding ability than that of the other peptides, and the ratio of peptide to DNA was 0.62/1. Next, the UV absorption spectrum of the DNA indicated that L5W interacted with the MRPA0108 genomic DNA and intercalated into the groove of the DNA molecule, resulting in loosening of the double-helical structure of the originally contracted DNA and leading to the occurrence of a hyperchromic effect. The circular dichroism spectrum suggested that I1W and L5W associated with the DNA via a trench combination mode resulting from the compact structure of the DNA double helix and reduction in ππ accumulation between base pairs. Furthermore, real-time quantitative PCR demonstrated that the Trp-containing peptides could downregulate the expression of DNA replication-initiating genes in MRPA0108 cells. MRPA0108 DNA may be a potential active target for the antimicrobial activity of Trp-containing peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Han
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhiru Kou
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Fengquan Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaomi Sun
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Dejing Shang
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.,Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
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37
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Correia C, Xavier CPR, Duarte D, Ferreira A, Moreira S, Vasconcelos MH, Vale N. Development of potent CPP6-gemcitabine conjugates against human prostate cancer cell line (PC-3). RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:268-273. [PMID: 33479633 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00489k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Gemcitabine (dFdC) is a nucleoside analogue used in the treatment of various cancers, being a standard treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. The effect of gemcitabine is severely compromised due to its rapid plasma degradation, systemic toxicity and drug resistance, which restricts its therapeutic efficacy. Our main goal was to develop new active conjugates of dFdC with novel cell-penetrating hexapeptides (CPP6) to facilitate intracellular delivery of this drug. All new peptides were prepared by solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), purified and characterized by HPLC and LC-MS. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) contain a considerably high ratio of positively charged amino acids, imparting them with cationic character. Tumor cells are characterized by an increased anionic nature of their membrane surface, a property that could be used by CPP to target these cells. The BxPC-3, MCF-7 and PC-3 cancer cell lines were used to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of conjugates and the results showed that conjugating dFdC with CPP6 significantly enhanced cell growth inhibitory activity on PC-3 cells, with IC50 between 14 and 15 nM. These new conjugates have potential to become new therapeutic tools for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Correia
- Laboratory of Pharmacology , Department of Drug Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal . .,Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho , 45 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) , University of Porto , Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal
| | - Cristina P R Xavier
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho , 45 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) , University of Porto , Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal
| | - Diana Duarte
- Laboratory of Pharmacology , Department of Drug Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal . .,Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho , 45 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) , University of Porto , Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal
| | - Abigail Ferreira
- Laboratory of Pharmacology , Department of Drug Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal . .,LAQV/REQUIMTE , Department of Chemical Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal
| | - Sara Moreira
- Laboratory of Pharmacology , Department of Drug Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal . .,Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho , 45 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) , University of Porto , Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal
| | - M Helena Vasconcelos
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho , 45 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) , University of Porto , Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Laboratory of Microbiology , Department of Biological Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- Laboratory of Pharmacology , Department of Drug Sciences , Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal . .,Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP) , Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho , 45 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) , University of Porto , Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 , 4200-135 Porto , Portugal.,Department of Molecular Pathology and Immunology , Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICBAS) , University of Porto , Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228 , 4050-313 Porto , Portugal
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38
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Al Tall Y, Abualhaijaa A, Qaoud MT, Alsaggar M, Masadeh M, Alzoubi KH. The Ultrashort Peptide OW: A New Antibiotic Adjuvant. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2020; 20:745-754. [PMID: 31258076 DOI: 10.2174/1389201020666190618111252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The over use of current antibiotics and low discovery rate of the new ones are leading to rapid development of multidrug-resistant pathogens worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides have shown promising results against multidrug-resistant bacteria. OBJECTIVE To investigate the antimicrobial activity of a new ultrashort hexapeptide (OW). METHODS The OW hexapeptide was designed and tested against different strains of bacteria with different levels of sensitivity. Bacterial susceptibility assays were performed according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Institute (CLSI). The synergistic studies were then conducted using the Checkerboard assay. This was followed by checking the hemolytic effect of the hexapeptide against human blood cells and Human Embryonic Kidney cell line (HEK293). Finally, the antibiofilm activities of the hexapeptide were studied using the Biofilm Calgary method. RESULTS Synergistic assays showed that OW has synergistic effects with antibiotics of different mechanisms of action. It showed an outstanding synergism with Rifampicin against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; ΣFIC value was 0.37, and the MIC value of Rifampicin was decreased by 85%. OW peptide also displayed an excellent synergism with Ampicillin against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with ΣFIC value of less than 0.38 and a reduction of more than 96% in the MIC value of Ampicillin. CONCLUSION This study introduced a new ultrashort peptide (OW) with promising antimicrobial potential in the management of drug-resistant infectious diseases as a single agent or in combination with commonly used antibiotics. Further studies are needed to investigate the exact mechanism of action of these peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara Al Tall
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Ahmad Abualhaijaa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mohammed T Qaoud
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mohammad Alsaggar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Majed Masadeh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Karem H Alzoubi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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Li C, Zhu C, Ren B, Yin X, Shim SH, Gao Y, Zhu J, Zhao P, Liu C, Yu R, Xia X, Zhang L. Two optimized antimicrobial peptides with therapeutic potential for clinical antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 183:111686. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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40
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Shang D, Liu Y, Jiang F, Ji F, Wang H, Han X. Synergistic Antibacterial Activity of Designed Trp-Containing Antibacterial Peptides in Combination With Antibiotics Against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2719. [PMID: 31824473 PMCID: PMC6886405 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance among various bacterial strains is leading to worldwide resistance to a wide range of antibiotics. Combination therapy involving current antibiotics and other biological or chemical molecules represents an attractive novel strategy. In this study, we investigated the synergistic antibacterial activity of a series of Trp-containing antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with four classes of traditional chemical antibiotics that are inactive against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) in vitro and in vivo. Among the antibiotics that we studied, penicillin, ampicillin and erythromycin showed a distinct synergistic effect in combination with all of the Trp-containing AMPs, represented by a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of <0.5. The antibacterial activities were noticeably improved, with 32-to 64-fold reductions in the MIC values for ampicillin and 16- to 32-fold reductions in the MIC values for erythromycin and penicillin. Tetracycline showed synergistic activity with only I1WL5W but additive activity with L11W, L12W, and I4WL5W. Ceftazidime exhibited additive activity with the Trp-containing peptides. In addition, the antibiotics in combination with the peptide significantly inhibited biofilm formation by MRSE 1208. A mechanistic study demonstrated that the Trp-containing peptides, especially I1WL5W and I4WL5W, which contain two tryptophan residues, disrupted bacterial inner and outer membranes, which promoted antibiotic delivery into the cytoplasm and access to cytoplasmic targets; however, L11W and L12W may have increased intracellular antibiotic concentrations by decreasing blaZ, tet(m) and msrA expression. Importantly, strong synergistic activity against the MRSE 1208 strain was observed for the combination of I1WL5W and penicillin in a mouse infection model. Thus, the combination of AMPs and traditional antibiotics could be a promising option for the prevention of acute and chronic infections caused by MRSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejing Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.,Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Yue Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Fengquan Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.,Clinical Laboratory Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Fangyu Ji
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - He Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Xue Han
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
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41
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Yasir M, Dutta D, Willcox MDP. Mode of action of the antimicrobial peptide Mel4 is independent of Staphylococcus aureus cell membrane permeability. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215703. [PMID: 31356627 PMCID: PMC6663011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mel4 is a novel cationic peptide with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The current study examined the anti-staphylococcal mechanism of action of Mel4 and its precursor peptide melimine. The interaction of peptides with lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and with the cytoplasmic membrane using DiSC(3)-5, Sytox green, Syto-9 and PI dyes were studied. Release of ATP and DNA/RNA from cells exposed to the peptides were determined. Bacteriolysis and autolysin-activated cell death were determined by measuring decreases in OD620nm and killing of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells by cell-free media. Both peptides bound to LTA and rapidly dissipated the membrane potential (within 30 seconds) without affecting bacterial viability. Disturbance of the membrane potential was followed by the release of ATP (50% of total cellular ATP) by melimine and by Mel4 (20%) after 2 minutes exposure (p<0.001). Mel4 resulted in staphylococcal cells taking up PI with 3.9% cells predominantly stained after 150 min exposure, whereas melimine showed 34% staining. Unlike melimine, Mel4 did not release DNA/RNA. Cell-free media from Mel4 treated cells hydrolysed peptidoglycan and produced greater zones of inhibition against M. lysodeikticus lawn than melimine treated samples. These findings suggest that pore formation is unlikely to be involved in Mel4-mediated membrane destabilization for staphylococci, since there was no significant Mel4-induced PI staining and DNA/RNA leakage. It is likely that the S. aureus killing mechanism of Mel4 involves the release of autolysins followed by cell death. Whereas, membrane interaction is the primary bactericidal activity of melimine, which includes membrane depolarization, pore formation, release of cellular contents leading to cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Yasir
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Debarun Dutta
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Ophthalmic Research Group, School of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Mark D. P. Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Talandashti R, Mahdiuni H, Jafari M, Mehrnejad F. Molecular Basis for Membrane Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptide Pleurocidin in the Presence of Different Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Model Membranes. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 59:3262-3276. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Reza Talandashti
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395-1561, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Mahdiuni
- Bioinformatics Lab., Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Razi University, P.O. Box 67149-67346, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Majid Jafari
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395-1561, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faramarz Mehrnejad
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14395-1561, Tehran, Iran
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Interaction of SNARE Mimetic Peptides with Lipid bilayers: Effects of Secondary Structure, Bilayer Composition and Lipid Anchoring. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7708. [PMID: 31118479 PMCID: PMC6531448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43418-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The coiled-coil forming peptides 'K' enriched in lysine and 'E' enriched in glutamic acid have been used as a minimal SNARE mimetic system for membrane fusion. Here we describe atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the interactions of these peptides with lipid bilayers for two different compositions. For neutral phosphatidylcholine (PC)/phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) bilayers the peptides experience a strong repulsive barrier against adsorption, also observed in potential of mean force (PMF) profiles calculated with umbrella sampling. For peptide K, a minimum of -12 kBT in the PMF provides an upper bound for the binding free energy whereas no stable membrane bound state could be observed for peptide E. In contrast, the electrostatic interactions with negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol (PG) lipids lead to fast adsorption of both peptides at the head-water interface. Experimental data using fluorescently labeled peptides confirm the stronger binding to PG containing bilayers. Lipid anchors have little effect on the peptide-bilayer interactions or peptide structure, when the peptide also binds to the bilayer in the absence of a lipid anchor. For peptide E, which does not bind to the PC bilayer without a lipid anchor, the presence of such an anchor strengthens the electrostatic interactions between the charged side chains and the zwitterionic head-groups and leads to a stabilization of the peptide's helical fold by the membrane.
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44
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Comparative mode of action of the antimicrobial peptide melimine and its derivative Mel4 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7063. [PMID: 31068610 PMCID: PMC6506473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42440-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Melimine and Mel4 are chimeric cationic peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. They have been shown to be highly biocompatible in animal models and human clinical trials. The current study examined the mechanism of action of these two antimicrobial peptides against P. aeruginosa. The effect of the peptides of endotoxin neutralization, and their interactions with cytoplasmic membranes using DiSC(3)-5 and Sytox green, Syto-9 and PI dyes were analysed. Release of ATP and DNA/RNA were determined using ATP luminescence and increase in OD260 nm. The bacteriolytic ability of the peptides was determined by measuring decreases in OD620 nm. Both the peptides neutralized LPS suggesting their interaction with lipid A. Cytoplasmic membrane was disrupted within 30 seconds, which correlated with reductions in cellular viability. At 2 minutes melimine or Mel4, released 75% and 36% cellular ATP respectively (P < 0.001). Membrane permeabilization started 5 minutes with simultaneous release of DNA/RNA. Flow cytometry demonstrated 52% and 18% bacteria were stained with PI after 30 minutes. Overall, melimine showed higher capacity for membrane disruption compared to Mel4 (P < 0.001). The findings of this study have been summarized as a timeline of bactericidal activity, suggesting that the peptides permeabilized P. aeruginosa within 5 minutes, started lysis within 2 hours of exposure.
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45
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Aghazadeh H, Memariani H, Ranjbar R, Pooshang Bagheri K. The activity and action mechanism of novel short selective LL-37-derived anticancer peptides against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli. Chem Biol Drug Des 2018; 93:75-83. [PMID: 30120878 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Human cathelicidin LL-37 has recently attracted interest as a potential therapeutic agent, mostly because of its ability to kill a wide variety of pathogens and cancer cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of previously designed LL-37 anticancer derivatives (i.e., P7, P22, and P38). Calcein release assay and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were performed to elucidate the possible mechanism of action of P38, the peptide with the highest bactericidal activity. In silico analysis demonstrated the amphipathic alpha-helical structure for three peptides. Antibacterial activity of P38 against multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolates of Escherichia coli was higher than that of P7 and P22. P38 caused no hemolysis or cytotoxicity. Treating calcein-loaded E. coli with 4× MIC of P38 resulted in more than 96% leakage of calcein. Noticeably, FE-SEM revealed that P38 killed E. coli by disrupting the bacterial membrane. Molecular docking studies showed that P38 had a much higher affinity for the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria compared with both P22 and P7. Owing to the bactericidal activity of P38 against MDR E. coli isolates and its negligible cytotoxicity, P38 has the potential for further studies in a mouse model of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Aghazadeh
- Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Medical Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Memariani
- Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Medical Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Ranjbar
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamran Pooshang Bagheri
- Venom and Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Medical Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Mowbray CA, Niranji SS, Cadwell K, Bailey R, Watson KA, Hall J. Gene expression of AvBD6-10 in broiler chickens is independent of AvBD6, 9, and 10 peptide potency. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2018; 202:31-40. [PMID: 30078596 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Avian β-defensin (AvBD) gene cluster contains fourteen genes; within this, two groups (AvBD6/7 and AvBD8 -10) encode charged peptides of >+5 (AvBD6/7), indicative of potent microbial killing activities, and ≤+4 (AvBD8-10), suggestive of reduced antimicrobial activities. Chicken broiler gut tissues are constantly exposed to microbes in the form of commensal bacteria. This study examined whether tissue expression patterns of AvBD6-10 reflected microbial exposure and the encoded peptides a functional antimicrobial hierarchy. Gut AvBD6-10 gene expression was observed in hatch to day 21 birds, although the AvBD8-10 profiles were eclipsed by those detected in the liver and kidney tissues. In vitro challenges of chicken CHCC-OU2 cells using the gut commensal Lactobacillus johnsonii (104 CFU) did not significantly affect AvBD8-10 gene expression patterns, although upregulation (P < 0.05) of IL-Iβ gene expression was observed. Similarly, in response to Bacteriodes doreii, IL-Iβ and IL-6 gene upregulation were detected (P < 0.05), but AvBD10 gene expression remained unaffected. These data suggested that AvBD8-10 gene expression was not induced by commensal gut bacteria. Bacterial time-kill assays employing recombinant (r)AvBD6, 9 and 10 peptides (0.5μM - 12μM), indicated an antimicrobial hierarchy, linked to charge, of AvBD6 > AvBD9 > AvBD10 against Escherichia coli, but AvBD10 > AvBD9 > AvBD6 using Enterococcus faecalis. rAvBD10, selected due to its reduced cationic charge was, using CHCC-OU2 cells, investigated for cell proliferation and wound healing properties, but none were observed. These data suggest that in healthy broiler chicken tissues AvBD6/7 and AvBD8-10 gene expression profiles are independent of the in vitro antimicrobial hierarchies of the encoded AvBD6, 9 and 10 peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Mowbray
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Sherko S Niranji
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Kevin Cadwell
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | | | | | - Judith Hall
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
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Tryptophan-Rich and Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23040815. [PMID: 29614844 PMCID: PMC6017362 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23040815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the increasing emergence of drug-resistant pathogenic microorganisms, there is a world-wide quest to develop new-generation antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides with a broad spectrum of antibiotic activities against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses and sometimes exhibit cytotoxic activity toward cancer cells. As a part of the native host defense system, most AMPs target the membrane integrity of the microorganism, leading to cell death by lysis. These membrane lytic effects are often toxic to mammalian cells and restrict their systemic application. However, AMPs containing predominantly either tryptophan or proline can kill microorganisms by targeting intracellular pathways and are therefore a promising source of next-generation antibiotics. A minimum length of six amino acids is required for high antimicrobial activity in tryptophan-rich AMPs and the position of these residues also affects their antimicrobial activity. The aromatic side chain of tryptophan is able to rapidly form hydrogen bonds with membrane bilayer components. Proline-rich AMPs interact with the 70S ribosome and disrupt protein synthesis. In addition, they can also target the heat shock protein in target pathogens, and consequently lead to protein misfolding. In this review, we will focus on describing the structures, sources, and mechanisms of action of the aforementioned AMPs.
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Santana PA, Salinas N, Álvarez CA, Mercado LA, Guzmán F. Alpha-helical domain from IL-8 of salmonids: Mechanism of action and identification of a novel antimicrobial function. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.03.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Kozic M, Fox SJ, Thomas JM, Verma CS, Rigden DJ. Large scale ab initio modeling of structurally uncharacterized antimicrobial peptides reveals known and novel folds. Proteins 2018; 86:548-565. [DOI: 10.1002/prot.25473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mara Kozic
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool; Liverpool L69 7ZB U.K
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Bioinformatics Institute; Singapore
| | - Stephen J. Fox
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Bioinformatics Institute; Singapore
| | - Jens M. Thomas
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool; Liverpool L69 7ZB U.K
| | - Chandra S. Verma
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Bioinformatics Institute; Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences; Nanyang Technological University; Singapore
| | - Daniel J. Rigden
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool; Liverpool L69 7ZB U.K
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Sala A, Cabassi CS, Santospirito D, Polverini E, Flisi S, Cavirani S, Taddei S. Novel Naja atra cardiotoxin 1 (CTX-1) derived antimicrobial peptides with broad spectrum activity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190778. [PMID: 29364903 PMCID: PMC5783354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Naja atra subsp. atra cardiotoxin 1 (CTX-1), produced by Chinese cobra snakes, belonging to Elapidae family, is included in the three-finger toxin family and exerts high cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity too. Using as template mainly the tip and the subsequent β-strand of the first "finger" of this toxin, different sequences of 20 amino acids linear peptides have been designed in order to avoid toxic effects but to maintain or even strengthen the partial antimicrobial activity already seen for the complete toxin. As a result, the sequence NCP-0 (Naja Cardiotoxin Peptide-0) was designed as ancestor and subsequently 4 other variant sequences of NCP-0 were developed. These synthesized variant sequences have shown microbicidal activity towards a panel of reference and field strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The sequence named NCP-3, and its variants NCP-3a and NCP-3b, have shown the best antimicrobial activity, together with low cytotoxicity against eukaryotic cells and low hemolytic activity. Bactericidal activity has been demonstrated by minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assay at values below 10 μg/ml for most of the tested bacterial strains. This potent antimicrobial activity was confirmed even for unicellular fungi Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Malassezia pachydermatis (MBC 50-6.3 μg/ml), and against the fast-growing mycobacteria Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium fortuitum. Moreover, NCP-3 has shown virucidal activity on Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BoHV1) belonging to Herpesviridae family. The bactericidal activity is maintained even in a high salt concentration medium (125 and 250 mM NaCl) and phosphate buffer with 20% Mueller Hinton (MH) medium against E. coli, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa reference strains. Considering these in vitro obtained data, the search for active sequences within proteins presenting an intrinsic microbicidal activity could provide a new way for discovering a large number of novel and promising antimicrobial peptides families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Sala
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Eugenia Polverini
- Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Sara Flisi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Sandro Cavirani
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Simone Taddei
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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