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Irvine A, McKenzie D, McCoy CJ, Graham RLJ, Graham C, Huws SA, Atkinson LE, Mousley A. Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011508. [PMID: 37523405 PMCID: PMC10414684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are immune effectors that are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system providing protection against pathogenic microbes. Parasitic helminths (phylum Nematoda and phylum Platyhelminthes) share complex interactions with their hosts and closely associated microbiota that are likely regulated by a diverse portfolio of antimicrobial immune effectors including AMPs. Knowledge of helminth AMPs has largely been derived from nematodes, whereas the flatworm AMP repertoire has not been described. This study highlights limitations in the homology-based approaches, used to identify putative nematode AMPs, for the characterisation of flatworm AMPs, and reveals that innovative algorithmic AMP prediction approaches provide an alternative strategy for novel helminth AMP discovery. The data presented here: (i) reveal that flatworms do not encode traditional lophotrochozoan AMP groups (Big Defensin, CSαβ peptides and Myticalin); (ii) describe a unique integrated computational pipeline for the discovery of novel helminth AMPs; (iii) reveal >16,000 putative AMP-like peptides across 127 helminth species; (iv) highlight that cysteine-rich peptides dominate helminth AMP-like peptide profiles; (v) uncover eight novel helminth AMP-like peptides with diverse antibacterial activities, and (vi) demonstrate the detection of AMP-like peptides from Ascaris suum biofluid. These data represent a significant advance in our understanding of the putative helminth AMP repertoire and underscore a potential untapped source of antimicrobial diversity which may provide opportunities for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. Further, unravelling the role of endogenous worm-derived antimicrobials and their potential to influence host-worm-microbiome interactions may be exploited for the development of unique helminth control approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allister Irvine
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Darrin McKenzie
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Ciaran J. McCoy
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Robert L. J. Graham
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Ciaren Graham
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon A. Huws
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Louise E. Atkinson
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Mousley
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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Rojas-Pirela M, Kemmerling U, Quiñones W, Michels PAM, Rojas V. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs): Potential Therapeutic Strategy against Trypanosomiases? Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13040599. [PMID: 37189347 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomiases are a group of tropical diseases that have devastating health and socio-economic effects worldwide. In humans, these diseases are caused by the pathogenic kinetoplastids Trypanosoma brucei, causing African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, and Trypanosoma cruzi, causing American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease. Currently, these diseases lack effective treatment. This is attributed to the high toxicity and limited trypanocidal activity of registered drugs, as well as resistance development and difficulties in their administration. All this has prompted the search for new compounds that can serve as the basis for the development of treatment of these diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides synthesized by both prokaryotes and (unicellular and multicellular) eukaryotes, where they fulfill functions related to competition strategy with other organisms and immune defense. These AMPs can bind and induce perturbation in cell membranes, leading to permeation of molecules, alteration of morphology, disruption of cellular homeostasis, and activation of cell death. These peptides have activity against various pathogenic microorganisms, including parasitic protists. Therefore, they are being considered for new therapeutic strategies to treat some parasitic diseases. In this review, we analyze AMPs as therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of trypanosomiases, emphasizing their possible application as possible candidates for the development of future natural anti-trypanosome drugs.
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Mladineo I, Rončević T, Gerdol M, Tossi A. Helminthic host defense peptides: using the parasite to defend the host. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:345-357. [PMID: 36890022 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.02.004] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic helminths are destined to share niches with a variety of microbiota that inevitably influence their interaction with the host. To modulate the microbiome for their benefit and defend against pathogenic isolates, helminths have developed host defense peptides (HDPs) and proteins as integral elements of their immunity. These often exert a relatively nonspecific membranolytic activity toward bacteria, sometimes with limited or no toxicity toward host cells. With a few exceptions, such as nematode cecropin-like peptides and antibacterial factors (ABFs), helminthic HDPs are largely underexplored. This review scrutinizes current knowledge on the repertoire of such peptides in helminths and promotes their research as potential leads for an anti-infective solution to the burgeoning problem of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivona Mladineo
- Laboratory of Functional Helminthology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology BC CAS, Branišovska 31, Česke Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic.
| | - Tomislav Rončević
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 33, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
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Santos MA, Silva FL, Lira BOV, Cardozo Fh JL, Vasconcelos AG, Araujo AR, Murad AM, Garay AV, Freitas SM, Leite JRSA, Bloch C, Ramada MHS, de Oliveira AL, Brand GD. Probing human proteins for short encrypted antimicrobial peptides reveals Hs10, a peptide with selective activity for gram-negative bacteria. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130265. [PMID: 36280021 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some cationic and amphiphilic α-helical segments of proteins adsorb to prokaryotic membranes when synthesized as individual polypeptide sequences, resulting in broad and potent antimicrobial activity. However, amphiphilicity, a determinant physicochemical property for peptide-membrane interactions, can also be observed in some β-sheets. METHODS The software Kamal was used to scan the human reference proteome for short (7-11 amino acid residues) cationic and amphiphilic protein segments with the characteristic periodicity of β-sheets. Some of the uncovered peptides were chemically synthesized, and antimicrobial assays were conducted. Biophysical techniques were used to probe the molecular interaction of one peptide with phospholipid vesicles, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and the bacterium Escherichia coli. RESULTS Thousands of compatible segments were found in human proteins, five were synthesized, and three presented antimicrobial activity in the micromolar range. Hs10, a nonapeptide fragment of the Complement C3 protein, could inhibit only the growth of tested Gram-negative microorganisms, presenting also little cytotoxicity to human fibroblasts. Hs10 interacted with LPS while transitioning from an unstructured segment to a β-sheet and increased the hydrodynamic radius of LPS particles. This peptide also promoted morphological alterations in E. coli cells. CONCLUSIONS Data presented herein introduce yet another molecular template to probe proteins in search for encrypted membrane-active segments and demonstrates that, using this approach, short peptides with low cytotoxicity and high selectivity to prokaryotic cells might be obtained. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This work widens the biotechnological potential of the human proteome as a source of antimicrobial peptides with application in human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele A Santos
- Laboratório de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear, LRMN, Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Laboratório de Síntese e Análise de Biomoléculas, LSAB, Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Fernanda L Silva
- Laboratório de Síntese e Análise de Biomoléculas, LSAB, Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Bianca O V Lira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - José L Cardozo Fh
- Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massa, LEM, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Andreanne G Vasconcelos
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Morfologia e Imunologia Aplicada, NuPMIA, Faculdade de Medicina, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Alyne R Araujo
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Parnaíba, PI, Brazil
| | - André M Murad
- Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massa, LEM, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Aisel V Garay
- Laboratório de Biofísica Molecular, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Brasília (IB-CEL/UnB), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Sonia M Freitas
- Laboratório de Biofísica Molecular, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Brasília (IB-CEL/UnB), Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - José Roberto S A Leite
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Morfologia e Imunologia Aplicada, NuPMIA, Faculdade de Medicina, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Carlos Bloch
- Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massa, LEM, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Marcelo H S Ramada
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Gerontologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Aline Lima de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear, LRMN, Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Guilherme D Brand
- Laboratório de Síntese e Análise de Biomoléculas, LSAB, Instituto de Química, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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