Designing Melittin-Graphene Hybrid Complexes for Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

Immunomodulatory activities and biomedical applications of melittin and its recent advances

Melittin (MLT), a peptide containing 26 amino acids, is a key constituent of bee venom. It comprises ∼40%-60% of the venom's dry weight and is the main pricing index for bee venom, being the causative factor of pain. The unique properties of MLT extracted from bee venom have made it a very valuable active ingredient in the pharmaceutical industry as this cationic and amphipathic peptide has propitious effects on human health in diverse biological processes. It has the ability to strongly impact the membranes of cells and display hemolytic activity with anticancer characteristics. However, the clinical application of MLT has been limited by its severe hemolytic activity, which poses a challenge for therapeutic use. By employing more efficient mechanisms, such as modifying the MLT sequence, genetic engineering, and nano-delivery systems, it is anticipated that the limitations posed by MLT can be overcome, thereby enabling its wider application in therapeutic contexts. This review has outlined recent advancements in MLT's nano-delivery systems and genetically engineered cells expressing MLT and provided an overview of where the MLTMLT's platforms are and where they will go in the future with the challenges ahead. The focus is on exploring how these approaches can overcome the limitations associated with MLT's hemolytic activity and improve its selectivity and efficacy in targeting cancer cells. These advancements hold promise for the creation of innovative and enhanced therapeutic approaches based on MLT for the treatment of cancer.

Membrane-Active Peptides Attack Cell Membranes in a Lipid-Regulated Curvature-Generating Mode

Membrane-active peptides (MAPs) exhibit great potential in biomedical applications due to their unique ability to overcome the cell membrane barrier. However, the interactions between MAPs and membranes are complex, and little is known about the possibility of MAP action being specific to certain types of membranes. In this study, a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical analysis was utilized to investigate the interactions between typical MAPs and realistic cell membrane systems. Remarkably, the simulations revealed that MAPs can attack membranes by generating and sensing positive mean curvature, which is dependent on lipid composition. Furthermore, theoretical calculations demonstrated that this lipid-regulated curvature-based membrane attack mechanism is an integrated result of multiple effects, including peptide-induced membrane wedge and softening effects, the lipid shape effect, the area-difference elastic effect, and the boundary edge effect of formed peptide-lipid nanodomains. This study enhances our comprehension of MAP-membrane interactions and highlights the potential for developing membrane-specific MAP-based agents.

A review on antimicrobial mechanism and applications of graphene-based materials

In recent years, graphene and its derivatives, owing to their phenomenal surface, and mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties, have emerged as advantageous materials, especially in terms of their potential for antimicrobial applications. Particularly important among graphene's derivatives is graphene oxide (GO) due to the ease with which its surface can be modified, as well as the oxidative and membrane stress that it exerts on microbes. This review encapsulates all aspects regarding the functionalization of graphene-based materials (GBMs) into composites that are highly potent against bacterial, viral, and fungal activities. Governing factors, such as lateral size (LS), number of graphene layers, solvent and GBMs' concentration, microbial shape and size, aggregation ability of GBMs, and especially the mechanisms of interaction between composites and microbes are discussed in detail. The current and potential applications of these antimicrobial materials, especially in dentistry, osseointegration, and food packaging, have been described. This knowledge can further drive research that aims to look for the most suitable components for antimicrobial composites. The need for antimicrobial materials has seldom been more felt than during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also been highlighted here. Possible future research areas include the exploration of GBMs' ability against algae.

Membrane-Specific Binding of 4 nm Lipid Nanoparticles Mediated by an Entropy-Driven Interaction Mechanism

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a leading biomimetic drug delivery platform due to their distinctive advantages and highly tunable formulations. A mechanistic understanding of the interaction between LNPs and cell membranes is essential for developing the cell-targeted carriers for precision medicine. Here the interactions between sub 10 nm cationic LNPs (cLNPs; e.g., 4 nm in size) and varying model cell membranes are systematically investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the membrane-binding behavior of cLNPs is governed by a two-step mechanism that is initiated by direct contact followed by a more crucial lipid exchange (dissociation of cLNP's coating lipids and subsequent flip and intercalation into the membrane). Importantly, our simulations demonstrate that the membrane binding of cLNPs is an entropy-driven process, which thus enables cLNPs to differentiate between membranes having different lipid compositions (e.g., the outer and inner membranes of bacteria vs the red blood cell membranes). Accordingly, the possible strategies to drive the membrane-targeting behaviors of cLNPs, which mainly depend on the entropy change in the complicated entropy-enthalpy competition of the cLNP-membrane interaction process, are investigated. Our work unveils the molecular mechanism underlying the membrane selectivity of cLNPs and provides useful hints to develop cLNPs as membrane-targeting agents for precision medicine.

Heterogeneous Structural Disturbance of Cell Membrane by Peptides with Modulated Hydrophobic Properties

Extensive effort has been devoted to developing new clinical therapies based on membrane-active peptides (MAPs). Previous models on the membrane action mechanisms of these peptides mostly focused on the MAP−membrane interactions in a local region, while the influence of the spatial heterogeneity of the MAP distribution on the membrane was much ignored. Herein, three types of natural peptide variants, AS4-1, AS4-5, and AS4-9, with similar amphiphilic α-helical structures but distinct hydrophobic degrees (AS4-1 < AS4-5 < AS4-9) and net charges (+9 vs. +7 vs. +5), were used to interact with a mixed phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) membrane. A combination of giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) leakage assays, atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterizations, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated the coexistence of multiple action mechanisms of peptides on a membrane, probably due to the spatially heterogeneous distribution of peptides on the membrane surface. Specifically, the most hydrophobic peptide (i.e., AS4-9) had the strongest membrane binding, perturbation, and permeabilization effects, leading to the formation of large peptide−lipid aggregates (10 ± 5 nm in height and 150 ± 50 nm in size), as well as continuous fragments and ridges on the supported membrane surface. The AS4-5 peptides, with a half-hydrophilic and half-hydrophobic structure, induced membrane lysis in addition to reconstruction. The most hydrophilic peptide AS4-1 only exhibited unstable binding on the supported membrane surface. These results demonstrate the heterogeneous structural disturbance of model cell membranes by amphiphilic α-helical peptides, which could be significantly strengthened by increasing the degree of hydrophobicity and/or local number density of peptides. This work provides support for the modulation of the membrane activity of MAPs by adjusting their hydrophobicity and local concentration.

Antimicrobial peptides: Sustainable application informed by evolutionary constraints

The proliferation and global expansion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have deepened the need to develop novel antimicrobials. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are regarded as promising antibacterial agents because of their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and multifaceted mechanisms of action with non-specific targets. However, if AMPs are to be applied sustainably, knowledge of how they induce resistance in pathogenic bacteria must be mastered to avoid repeating the traditional antibiotic resistance mistakes currently faced. Furthermore, the evolutionary constraints on the acquisition of AMP resistance by microorganisms in the natural environment, such as functional compatibility and fitness trade-offs, inform the translational application of AMPs. Consequently, the shortcut to achieve sustainable utilization of AMPs is to uncover the evolutionary constraints of bacteria on AMP resistance in nature and find the tricks to exploit these constraints, such as applying AMP cocktails to minimize the efficacy of selection for resistance or combining nanomaterials to maximize the costs of AMP resistance. Altogether, this review dissects the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of utilizing AMPs against disease-causing bacteria, and highlights the use of AMP cocktails or nanomaterials to proactively address potential AMP resistance crises in the future.

Synergistic Membrane Disturbance Improves the Antibacterial Performance of Polymyxin B

Drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria pose a serious threat to public health, and polymyxin B (PMB) is clinically used as a last-line therapy for the treatment of infections caused by these pathogens. However, the appearance of PMB resistance calls for an effort to develop new approaches to improve its antibacterial performance. In this work, a new type of nanocomposite, composed of PMB molecules being chemically decorated on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, was designed, which showed potent antibacterial ability through synergistically and physically disturbing the bacterial membrane. The as-fabricated PMB@GO nanocomposites demonstrated an enhanced bacterial-killing efficiency, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value half of that of free PMB (with an MIC value as low as 0.5 μg mL^-1 over Escherichia coli), and a bacterial viability less than one fourth of that of PMB (with a bacterial reduction of 60% after 3 h treatment, and 90% after 6 h incubation). Furthermore, the nanocomposite displayed moderate cytotoxicity or hemolysis effect, with cellular viabilities over 85% at concentrations up to 16 times the MIC value. Studies on antibacterial mechanism revealed that the synergy between PMB molecules and GO nanosheets greatly facilitated the vertical insertion of the nanocomposite into the lipid membrane, leading to membrane disturbance and permeabilization. Our results demonstrate a physical mechanism for improving the antibacterial performance of PMB and developing advanced antibacterial agents for better clinic uses.

Melittin-Based Nano-Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy

Melittin (MEL) is a 26-amino acid polypeptide with a variety of pharmacological and toxicological effects, which include strong surface activity on cell lipid membranes, hemolytic activity, and potential anti-tumor properties. However, the clinical application of melittin is restricted due to its severe hemolytic activity. Different nanocarrier systems have been developed to achieve stable loading, side effects shielding, and tumor-targeted delivery, such as liposomes, cationic polymers, lipodisks, etc. In addition, MEL can be modified on nano drugs as a non-selective cytolytic peptide to enhance cellular uptake and endosomal/lysosomal escape. In this review, we discuss recent advances in MEL’s nano-delivery systems and MEL-modified nano drug carriers for cancer therapy.

Real-Time Monitoring the Staged Interactions between Cationic Surfactants and a Phospholipid Bilayer Membrane

The cationic surfactant-lipid interaction directs the development of novel types of nanodrugs or nanocarriers. The membrane action of cationic surfactants also has a wide range of applications. In this work,...

Potentiality of Melittin-Loaded Niosomal Vesicles Against Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcal Skin Infection

Background

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen, especially causing skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). Over the decades, the infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strains have often become life-threatening. Consequently, exploration and development of competent approaches to combat these serious circumstances are urgently required.

Methods

The antibacterial activity of melittin (Mel) on S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and clinical isolates of vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) was investigated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time-killing assays. The localization of Mel on the bacterial cell was visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy and its effect on the membrane was indicated based on propidium iodide uptake. The non-ionic surfactant vesicle (NISV) or niosome nanocarrier was established for Mel loading (Mel-loaded NISV) by the thin-film hydration method. Physicochemical and in vitro biological properties of Mel-loaded NISVs were characterized. The cellular uptake of Mel-loaded NISVs was evaluated by holotomography analysis. In addition, an ex vivo study was conducted on a porcine ear skin model to assess the permeation ability of Mel-loaded NISVs and their potential to inhibit bacterial skin infection.

Results

The effective inhibitory activity of Mel on skin pathogens was demonstrated. Among the tested strains, VISA was most susceptible to Mel. Regarding to its function, Mel targeted the bacterial cell envelope and disrupted cell membrane integrity. Mel-loaded NISVs were successfully fabricated with a nano-size of 120-200 nm and entrapment efficiency of greater than 90%. Moreover, Mel-loaded NISVs were taken up and accumulated in the intracellular space. Meanwhile, Mel was released and distributed throughout the cytosol and nucleus. Mel-loaded NISVs efficiently inhibited the growth of bacteria, particularly MRSA and VISA. Importantly, they not only penetrated epidermal and dermal skin layers, but also reduced the bacterial growth in infected skin.

Conclusion

Mel-loaded NISVs have a great potential to exhibit antibacterial activity. Therapeutic application of Mel-loaded NISVs could be further developed as an alternative platform for the treatment of skin infection via dermal and transdermal delivery.

GO-based antibacterial composites: Application and design strategies

Graphene oxide (GO), for its unique structure with high biocompatibility and designability, is widely used in the antibacterial field. Various strategies have been designed to fabricate GO-based composites with antibacterial properties. This review summarized these strategies, divided them into three types and interpreted their antibacterial mechanisms: (i) "GO*/non-GO" type in which GO acts as the single antibacterial core, (ii) "GO*/non-GO*" type in which GO and non-GO components function synergistically as dual antibacterial cores, (iii) "GO/non-GO*" type in which non-GO acts as the single antibacterial core, while GO component plays a supportive, not a dominant role in antibiosis. Besides, the fields suiting their applications and factors influencing their antibacterial properties were analyzed. Finally, the limitations and prospects in the current researches were discussed. In summary, GO-based composites have revolutionized antibacterial strategies. This review may serve as a reference to inspire further research on GO-based antibacterial composites.

Coating CoCrMo Alloy with Graphene Oxide and ε-Poly-L-Lysine Enhances Its Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Properties

INTRODUCTION

With increases in implant infections, the search for antibacterial and biofilm coatings has become a new interest for orthopaedists and dentists. In recent years, graphene oxide (GO) has been extensively studied for its superior antibacterial properties. However, most of these studies have focused on solutions and there are few antibacterial studies on metal surfaces, especially the surfaces of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloys. ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PLL), as a novel food preservative, has a spectrum of antimicrobial activity; however, its antimicrobial activity after coating an implant surface is not clear.

METHODS

In this study, for the first time, a two-step electrodeposition method was used to coat GO and ε-PLL on the surface of a CoCrMo alloy. Its antibacterial and antibiofilm properties against S. aureus and E. coli were then studied.

RESULTS

The results show that the formation of bacteria and biofilms on the coating surface was significantly inhibited, GO and ε-PLL composite coatings had the best antibacterial and antibiofilm effects, followed by ε-PLL and GO coatings. In terms of classification, the coatings are anti-adhesive and contact-killing/inhibitory surfaces. In addition to oxidative stress, physical damage to GO and electrostatic osmosis of ε-PLL are the main antibacterial and antibiofilm mechanisms.

DISCUSSION

This is the first study that GO and ε-PLL coatings were successfully prepared on the surface of CoCrMo alloy by electrodeposition. It provides a promising new approach to the problem of implant infection in orthopedics and stomatology.

Membrane-disruptive peptides/peptidomimetics-based therapeutics: Promising systems to combat bacteria and cancer in the drug-resistant era

Membrane-disruptive peptides/peptidomimetics (MDPs) are antimicrobials or anticarcinogens that present a general killing mechanism through the physical disruption of cell membranes, in contrast to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, which act on precise targets such as DNA or specific enzymes. Owing to their rapid action, broad-spectrum activity, and mechanisms of action that potentially hinder the development of resistance, MDPs have been increasingly considered as future therapeutics in the drug-resistant era. Recently, growing experimental evidence has demonstrated that MDPs can also be utilized as adjuvants to enhance the therapeutic effects of other agents. In this review, we evaluate the literature around the broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and anticancer activity of MDPs, and summarize the current development and mechanisms of MDPs alone or in combination with other agents. Notably, this review highlights recent advances in the design of various MDP-based drug delivery systems that can improve the therapeutic effect of MDPs, minimize side effects, and promote the co-delivery of multiple chemotherapeutics, for more efficient antimicrobial and anticancer therapy.

Ligand-decoration determines the translational and rotational dynamics of nanoparticles on a lipid bilayer membrane

Nanoparticles (NPs) promise a huge potential for clinical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. However, nano-bio (e.g., the NP-cell membrane) interactions and underlying mechanisms are still largely elusive. In this study, two types of congeneric peptides, namely PGLa and magainin 2 (MAG2), with similar membrane activities were employed as model ligands for NP decoration, and the diffusion behaviours (including both translation and rotation) of the ligand-decorated NPs on a lipid bilayer membrane were studied via molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that, although both PGLa- and MAG2-coated NPs showed alternatively "hopping" and "jiggling" diffusions, the PGLa-coated ones had an enhanced circling at the hopping stage, while a much confined circling at the jiggling stage. In contrast, the MAG2-coated NPs demonstrated constant circling tendencies throughout the diffusion process. Such differences in the coupling between translational and rotational dynamics of these two types of NPs are ascribed to the different ligand-lipid interactions of PGLa and MAG2, in which the PGLa ligands prefer to vertically insert into the membrane, while MAG2 tends to lie flat on the membrane surface. Our results are helpful for the understanding the underlying associations between the NP motions and their interfacial membrane interactions, and shed light on the possibility of regulating NP behaviours on a cellular surface for better biomedical uses.

Antimicrobial Polymer-Based Assemblies: A Review

An antimicrobial supramolecular assembly (ASA) is conspicuous in biomedical applications. Among the alternatives to overcome microbial resistance to antibiotics and drugs, ASAs, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and polymers (APs), provide formulations with optimal antimicrobial activity and acceptable toxicity. AMPs and APs have been delivered by a variety of carriers such as nanoparticles, coatings, multilayers, hydrogels, liposomes, nanodisks, lyotropic lipid phases, nanostructured lipid carriers, etc. They have similar mechanisms of action involving adsorption to the cell wall, penetration across the cell membrane, and microbe lysis. APs, however, offer the advantage of cheap synthetic procedures, chemical stability, and improved adsorption (due to multipoint attachment to microbes), as compared to the expensive synthetic routes, poor yield, and subpar in vivo stability seen in AMPs. We review recent advances in polymer-based antimicrobial assemblies involving AMPs and APs.

Lipid Phase Influences the Dynamic Interactions between Graphene Oxide Nanosheets and a Phospholipid Membrane

To understand the possible perturbations of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on cell membranes is the first step to evaluate their cytotoxicity, while the membrane heterogeneity such like lipid phase separation complicates such interactions. Using the dynamic giant unilamellar vesicle leakage assays, atomic force microscopy characterizations, and molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrated the structural and property disturbance of GO on a lipid bilayer membrane in a low ionic strength and neutral pH condition, specifically the influence of lipid phase on this process. GO tends to obliquely insert into and even be sandwiched between leaflets of a liquid-phase membrane, inducing formidable flaw in lipid packing states and fast transmembrane leakage. However, GO adopts parallel adsorption or vertical insertion on/into a gel-phase bilayer, while permeabilization occurs only when the disturbance is strong enough. Our results are helpful to understand the fundamental interaction mechanism between GO nanosheets and cells.

Cholesterols Work as a Molecular Regulator of the Antimicrobial Peptide-Membrane Interactions

The existing cholesterols (Chols) in animal cell membranes play key roles in many fundamental cellular processes, which also promise the possibility to modulate the bioactivity of various membrane-active biomacromolecules. Here, combining dynamic giant unilamellar vesicle leakage experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, the inhibitory effect of Chols on the membrane poration activity of melittin (Mel), a typical natural antimicrobial peptide, is demonstrated. Molecular details of the Mel-Chol interactions in membrane show that, for a Chol-contained lipid membrane, Mel exposure would perturb the symmetric bilayer structure of the membrane and specifically influence the location and orientation distributions of Chol molecules to an asymmetric state between the two leaflets; moreover, the Mel-Chol interactions are significantly influenced by the membrane environment such as unsaturation degree of the lipid components. Such inhibitory effect is normally ascribed to an accumulation of Chol molecules around the membrane-bound peptide chains and formation of Chol-Mel complexes in the membrane, which hinder the further insertion of peptides into the membrane. This work clarifies the molecular interactions between membrane-active peptides and Chol-contained membranes, and suggest the possibility to develop targeted drugs due to the membrane component specificity between bacterial and animal cells.

Antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of graphene and its derivatives

Infections resulting from bacteria and biofilms have become a huge problem threatening human health. In recent years, the antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of graphene and its derivatives have been extensively studied. However, there continues to be some controversy over whether graphene and its derivatives can resist infection and biofilms. Moreover, the antibacterial mechanism and cytotoxicity of graphene and its derivatives are unclear. In the present review, antibacterial and antibiofilm abilities of graphene and its derivatives in solution, on the surface are reviewed, and their toxicity and possible mechanisms are also reviewed. Furthermore, we propose possible future development directions for graphene and its derivatives in antibacterial and antibiofilm applications.

Graphene biosensors for bacterial and viral pathogens

The infection and spread of pathogens (e.g., COVID-19) pose an enormous threat to the safety of human beings and animals all over the world. The rapid and accurate monitoring and determination of pathogens are of great significance to clinical diagnosis, food safety and environmental evaluation. In recent years, with the evolution of nanotechnology, nano-sized graphene and graphene derivatives have been frequently introduced into the construction of biosensors due to their unique physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. The combination of biomolecules with specific recognition capabilities and graphene materials provides a promising strategy to construct more stable and sensitive biosensors for the detection of pathogens. This review tracks the development of graphene biosensors for the detection of bacterial and viral pathogens, mainly including the preparation of graphene biosensors and their working mechanism. The challenges involved in this field have been discussed, and the perspective for further development has been put forward, aiming to promote the development of pathogens sensing and the contribution to epidemic prevention.

Combined Effect of Melittin and DNase on Enterococcus faecalis Biofilms and Its Susceptibility to Sodium Hypochlorite

Biofilm communities are tolerant to antimicrobials and difficult to eradicate. This study aimed to investigate the effect of melittin, an antimicrobial peptide, either alone or in combination with deoxyribonuclease (DNase), an inhibitor of extracellular deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA), against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) biofilms, and biofilm susceptibility to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Biofilms of E. faecalis were developed in root canals of bovine teeth. The biofilms were treated with distilled water (control), melittin, DNase, or DNase+melittin. The antibiofilm effects of the treatments were analyzed using colony forming unit (CFU) assay, crystal violet staining, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The susceptibility of DNase+melittin-treated biofilms to NaOCl (0%, 2.5% and 5%) was investigated by the CFU assay. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, followed by Tukey's test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Specimens treated with DNase+melittin showed a more significant decrease in the CFUs, eDNA level, and biofilm formation rate than those treated only with melittin or DNase (p < 0.05). CLSM analysis showed DNase+melittin treatment significantly reduced the volume of biofilms and extracellular polymeric substance compared to either treatment alone (p < 0.05). FE-SEM images showed a high degree of biofilm disruption in specimens that received DNase+melittin. 2.5% NaOCl in specimens pretreated with DNase+melittin showed higher antibacterial activity than those treated only with 5% NaOCl (p < 0.05). This study highlighted that DNase improved the antibiofilm effects of melittin. Moreover, DNase+melittin treatment increased the susceptibility of biofilms to NaOCl. Thus, the complex could be a clinical strategy for safer use of NaOCl by reducing the concentration.

Individual Roles of Peptides PGLa and Magainin 2 in Synergistic Membrane Poration

Synergy between antimicrobial peptides PGLa and Magainin 2 (MAG2) provides an efficient way to enhance their antimicrobial ability. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of such synergy, especially the individual roles of each peptide, remains poorly understood. We combined a giant unilamellar vesicle leakage assay, in situ interfacial photovoltage testing, and molecular dynamics to investigate membrane poration under the action of PGLa, MAG2, or a PGLa/MAG2 mixture. Our results clearly show the different membrane action modes of the three systems and demonstrate the importance of forming PGLa-MAG2 heterodimers in the membrane poration process. PGLa inserted into and extracted from a membrane rapidly and continually with minimal aggregation and produced only transient, small pores. In contrast, MAG2 peptides tended to aggregate together on the membrane surface or only shallowly embed in the membrane. Additionally, the PGLa and MAG2 residues were well integrated into the membrane via the formation of PGLa-MAG2 heterodimers. The membrane defect produced by the rapid insertion of PGLa was stabilized by MAG2, which further recruited other peptides for the formation of PGLa-MAG2 heterodimers and even heterodimer clusters. Growth in pore size then occurred in a step-by-step process involving the formation and assembly of heterodimer clusters within the membrane. Our results provide insight into the complicated synergy that occurs between PGLa and MAG2 during membrane poration and will assist in the design of new antimicrobial peptides.

Correlation between Single-Molecule Dynamics and Biological Functions of Antimicrobial Peptide Melittin

Many fundamental biological processes occur on cell membranes, and a typical example is the membrane permeabilization by peptides for an antimicrobial purpose. Previous studies of the underlying mechanism mostly focus on structural changes of membranes and peptides during their interactions. Herein, from a new perspective of single-molecule dynamics, the real-time three-dimensional motions of individual phospholipid and peptide molecules were monitored, and specifically, their correlation with the membrane poration function of melittin, a most representative natural antimicrobial peptide, was studied. We found that the adsorption and accumulation of melittin on the membrane surface significantly sped up the lateral diffusion of lipids surrounding the peptides, which in turn facilitated the peptide insertion at such heterogeneous regions. A unique "U"-bending pathway of melittin during membrane insertion and the ultimate formation of toroidal pores with dynamical translocations of peptides and lipids with several metastable states between the two leaflets of bilayer were observed.

Lipid-specific interactions determine the organization and dynamics of membrane-active peptide melittin

The cell membranes of different cells deviate significantly in lipid compositions and thus provide varying biological environments to modulate the diffusion, organization and the resultant function of biomacromolecules. However, the detailed modulation mechanism remains elusive especially in consideration of the current overuse of the simplified membrane models such as the pure phosphatidylcholine (PC) membrane. In this work, with the typical membrane-active peptide melittin, we demonstrated that a more complicated membrane environment, such as the bacterial (IME) or plasma membrane (PM), would significantly change the organization and dynamics of melittin, by using molecular dynamics simulations as a "computational microscope". It was found that in these membrane systems, adding melittin would cause a varying degree of reduction in the lateral diffusion of lipids due to the different assembly states of peptides. Melittin tended to aggregate to oligomers in the pure PC membrane, mostly as a tetramer or trimer, while in IME or PM, its degree of oligomerization was significantly reduced. More surprisingly, melittin displayed a strong affinity with ganglioside GM3 in PM, leading to the formation of melittin-GM3 nanoclusters, which hindered its diffusion and further oligomerization. Additionally, small changes in the residue sequence of melittin could modulate the degree or structure of the peptide oligomer. Our work provides a typical example of a study on the organization and dynamics of pore-forming peptides in specific membrane environments and has great significance on the optimization of peptide sequences and the design of helix bundles in the membrane for target biological function.

Use of Selected Carbon Nanoparticles as Melittin Carriers for MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells

Despite advanced techniques in medicine, breast cancer caused the deaths of 627,000 women in 2018. Melittin, the main component of bee venom, has lytic properties for many types of cells, including cancer cells. To increase its toxic effect, carbon nanoparticles, graphene oxide, pristine graphene, and diamond were used as carriers of melittin to breast cancer cells. To date, the effects of carbon nanoparticles as carriers of melittin on cancer cells have not been studied. The present study was carried out on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The investigation consisted of structural analysis of complexes using transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential measurements, evaluation of cell morphology, assessment of cell viability and membrane integrity, investigation of reactive oxygen species production, and investigation of mitochondrial membrane potential. Cell death was examined by flow cytometry and a membrane test for 43 apoptotic proteins. The results indicate that melittin complex with nanographene oxide has a stronger toxic effect on breast cancer cells than melittin alone. Moreover, nanodiamonds can protect cells against the lytic effects of melittin. All complexes reduced, but not completely eliminated the level of necrosis, compared to melittin. Thus, results suggest that the use of carbon nanoparticles as carriers for melittin may find use in medicine in the future.

Hybrid material for open abdomen: saving the wound from intestinal fistula

Treatment of an open abdomen (OA) wound combined with an intestinal fistula is a challenge in the clinic. Here, inspired by the antibacterial activity of graphene (G) and its derivatives, we present a hybrid patch based on the ability of graphene and polycaprolactone (PCL) to kill bacteria and save the cells in a wound. Benefiting from the antibacterial ability of graphene oxide (GO), cells could survive in the presence of bacteria. With the increased ability to protect cells, this patch accelerated wound healing in an OA and intestinal fistula wound model. Additionally, the sub-acute toxicity score showed no extra damage to organs. In conclusion, the employment of the hybrid material for an OA and an intestinal fistula wound healing is encouraging. A hybrid patch based on graphene oxide and polycaprolactone electrospun was generated for open abdomen and fistula wound. The application of the hybrid patch could save the cells from bacteria which contribute to accelerating wound healing.

How Melittin Inserts into Cell Membrane: Conformational Changes, Inter-Peptide Cooperation, and Disturbance on the Membrane

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as a key component of the immune defense systems of organisms, are a promising solution to the serious threat of drug-resistant bacteria to public health. As one of the most representative and extensively studied AMPs, melittin has exceptional broad-spectrum activities against microorganisms, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Unfortunately, the action mechanism of melittin with bacterial membranes, especially the underlying physics of peptide-induced membrane poration behaviors, is still poorly understood, which hampers efforts to develop melittin-based drugs or agents for clinical applications. In this mini-review, we focus on recent advances with respect to the membrane insertion behavior of melittin mostly from a computational aspect. Membrane insertion is a prerequisite and key step for forming transmembrane pores and bacterial killing by melittin, whose occurrence is based on overcoming a high free-energy barrier during the transition of melittin molecules from a membrane surface-binding state to a transmembrane-inserting state. Here, intriguing simulation results on such transition are highlighted from both kinetic and thermodynamic aspects. The conformational changes and inter-peptide cooperation of melittin molecules, as well as melittin-induced disturbances to membrane structure, such as deformation and lipid extraction, are regarded as key factors influencing the insertion of peptides into membranes. The associated intermediate states in peptide conformations, lipid arrangements, membrane structure, and mechanical properties during this process are specifically discussed. Finally, potential strategies for enhancing the poration ability and improving the antimicrobial performance of AMPs are included as well.

Development of an antibacterial surface with a self-defensive and pH-responsive function

In this work, a charge conversion mechanism was introduced to build a bacteria responsive antibacterial surface.