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Kong X, Vishwanath V, Neelakantan P, Ye Z. Harnessing antimicrobial peptides in endodontics. Int Endod J 2024; 57:815-840. [PMID: 38441321 DOI: 10.1111/iej.14043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Endodontic therapy includes various procedures such as vital pulp therapy, root canal treatment and retreatment, surgical endodontic treatment and regenerative endodontic procedures. Disinfection and tissue repair are crucial for the success of these therapies, necessitating the development of therapeutics that can effectively target microbiota, eliminate biofilms, modulate inflammation and promote tissue repair. However, no current endodontic agents can achieve these goals. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are sequences of amino acids, have gained attention due to their unique advantages, including reduced susceptibility to drug resistance, broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and the ability to modulate the immune response of the organism effectively. This review systematically discusses the structure, mechanisms of action, novel designs and limitations of AMPs. Additionally, it highlights the efforts made by researchers to overcome peptide shortcomings and emphasizes the potential applications of AMPs in endodontic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzi Kong
- Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Vijetha Vishwanath
- Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Prasanna Neelakantan
- Department of Endodontics, University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zhou Ye
- Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
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2
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Ortega L, Carrera C, Muñoz-Flores C, Salazar S, Villegas MF, Starck MF, Valenzuela A, Agurto N, Montesino R, Astuya A, Parra N, Pérez ET, Santibáñez N, Romero A, Ruíz P, Lamazares E, Reyes F, Sánchez O, Toledo JR, Acosta J. New insight into the biological activity of Salmo salar NK-lysin antimicrobial peptides. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1191966. [PMID: 38655253 PMCID: PMC11035819 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1191966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
NK-lysin is a potent antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. NK-lysin is a type of granulysin, a member of the saposin-like proteins family first isolated from a pig's small intestine. In previous work, for the first time, we identified four variants of nk-lysin from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using EST sequences. In the present study, we reported and characterized two additional transcripts of NK-lysin from S. salar. Besides, we evaluated the tissue distribution of three NK-lysins from S. salar and assessed the antimicrobial, hemolytic, and immunomodulatory activities and signaling pathways of three NK-lysin-derived peptides. The synthetic peptides displayed antimicrobial activity against Piscirickettsia salmonis (LF-89) and Flavobacterium psychrophilum. These peptides induced the expression of immune genes related to innate and adaptive immune responses in vitro and in vivo. The immunomodulatory activity of the peptides involves the mitogen-activated protein kinases-mediated signaling pathway, including p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and/or c-Jun N-terminal kinases. Besides, the peptides modulated the immune response induced by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Our findings show that NK-lysin could be a highly effective immunostimulant or vaccine adjuvant for use in fish aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Ortega
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Crisleri Carrera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Carolina Muñoz-Flores
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Santiago Salazar
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Milton F. Villegas
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - María F. Starck
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ariel Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Piscicultura y Patología Acuática, Departamento de Oceanografía, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Niza Agurto
- Laboratorio de Piscicultura y Patología Acuática, Departamento de Oceanografía, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Raquel Montesino
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Allisson Astuya
- Laboratorio de Genómica Marina y Cultivo Celular, Departamento de Oceanografía y Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica en el Pacífico Sur Oriental (COPAS) Sur-Austral, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Natalie Parra
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ercilia T. Pérez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Estrés de Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Centro Fondo de Financiamiento de Centros de Investigación en Áreas Prioritarias (FONDAP), Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Natacha Santibáñez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Estrés de Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Centro Fondo de Financiamiento de Centros de Investigación en Áreas Prioritarias (FONDAP), Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Alex Romero
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Estrés de Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Centro Fondo de Financiamiento de Centros de Investigación en Áreas Prioritarias (FONDAP), Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Pamela Ruíz
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Talcahuano, Chile
| | - Emilio Lamazares
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Fátima Reyes
- Laboratorio de Biofármacos Recombinantes, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Oliberto Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Biofármacos Recombinantes, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jorge R. Toledo
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jannel Acosta
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biofármacos, Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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3
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Lee B, Shin D. Contrastive learning for enhancing feature extraction in anticancer peptides. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae220. [PMID: 38725157 PMCID: PMC11082072 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer, recognized as a primary cause of death worldwide, has profound health implications and incurs a substantial social burden. Numerous efforts have been made to develop cancer treatments, among which anticancer peptides (ACPs) are garnering recognition for their potential applications. While ACP screening is time-consuming and costly, in silico prediction tools provide a way to overcome these challenges. Herein, we present a deep learning model designed to screen ACPs using peptide sequences only. A contrastive learning technique was applied to enhance model performance, yielding better results than a model trained solely on binary classification loss. Furthermore, two independent encoders were employed as a replacement for data augmentation, a technique commonly used in contrastive learning. Our model achieved superior performance on five of six benchmark datasets against previous state-of-the-art models. As prediction tools advance, the potential in peptide-based cancer therapeutics increases, promising a brighter future for oncology research and patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byungjo Lee
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, 323, Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, 10408, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongkwan Shin
- Research Institute, National Cancer Center, 323, Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, 10408, Republic of Korea
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, National Cancer Center Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, 323, Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, 10408, Republic of Korea
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4
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Ji S, An F, Zhang T, Lou M, Guo J, Liu K, Zhu Y, Wu J, Wu R. Antimicrobial peptides: An alternative to traditional antibiotics. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116072. [PMID: 38147812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116072] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
As antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes continue to emerge, the identification of effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics has become a pressing issue. Antimicrobial peptides are favored for their safety, low residue, and low resistance properties, and their unique antimicrobial mechanisms show significant potential in combating antibiotic resistance. However, the high production cost and weak activity of antimicrobial peptides limit their application. Moreover, traditional laboratory methods for identifying and designing new antimicrobial peptides are time-consuming and labor-intensive, hindering their development. Currently, novel technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) are being employed to develop and design new antimicrobial peptide resources, offering new opportunities for the advancement of antimicrobial peptides. This article summarizes the basic characteristics and antimicrobial mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides, as well as their advantages and limitations, and explores the application of AI in antimicrobial peptides prediction amd design. This highlights the crucial role of AI in enhancing the efficiency of antimicrobial peptide research and provides a reference for antimicrobial drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaiqi Ji
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Feiyu An
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Taowei Zhang
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Mengxue Lou
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Jiawei Guo
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Kexin Liu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Yi Zhu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Junrui Wu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China.
| | - Rina Wu
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Liaoning Engineering Research Center of Food Fermentation Technology, Shenyang, 110866, PR China; Shenyang Key Laboratory of Microbial Fermentation Technology Innovation, Shenyang, 110866, PR China.
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Ascoët S, Touchard A, Téné N, Lefranc B, Leprince J, Paquet F, Jouvensal L, Barassé V, Treilhou M, Billet A, Bonnafé E. The mechanism underlying toxicity of a venom peptide against insects reveals how ants are master at disrupting membranes. iScience 2023; 26:106157. [PMID: 36879819 PMCID: PMC9985030 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hymenopterans represent one of the most abundant groups of venomous organisms but remain little explored due to the difficult access to their venom. The development of proteo-transcriptomic allowed us to explore diversity of their toxins offering interesting perspectives to identify new biological active peptides. This study focuses on U9 function, a linear, amphiphilic and polycationic peptide isolated from ant Tetramorium bicarinatum venom. It shares physicochemical properties with M-Tb1a, exhibiting cytotoxic effects through membrane permeabilization. In the present study, we conducted a comparative functional investigation of U9 and M-Tb1a and explored the mechanisms underlying their cytotoxicity against insect cells. After showing that both peptides induced the formation of pores in cell membrane, we demonstrated that U9 induced mitochondrial damage and, at high concentrations, localized into cells and induced caspase activation. This functional investigation highlighted an original mechanism of U9 questioning on potential valorization and endogen activity in T. bicarinatum venom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Ascoët
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane, AgroParisTech, CIRAD, INRA, Université de Guyane, Université des Antilles, Campus Agronomique, BP316 97310 Kourou, France
| | - Nathan Téné
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Benjamin Lefranc
- Inserm U1239, NorDiC, Laboratoire de Différenciation et Communication Neuroendocrine, Endocrine et Germinale, Université de Rouen-Normandie, 76000 Rouen, France
- Inserm US51, HeRacLeS, Université de Rouen-Normandie, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- Inserm U1239, NorDiC, Laboratoire de Différenciation et Communication Neuroendocrine, Endocrine et Germinale, Université de Rouen-Normandie, 76000 Rouen, France
- Inserm US51, HeRacLeS, Université de Rouen-Normandie, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Françoise Paquet
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, Rue Charles Sadron CS-80054, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Laurence Jouvensal
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, Rue Charles Sadron CS-80054, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Valentine Barassé
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Arnaud Billet
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- BTSB-UR 7417, Université de Toulouse, Institut National Universitaire Jean-François Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
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Dong Z, Zhang Q, Wang C, Hu W, Yu X, Guo M, Zhang X, Sun M, Du S, Lu Y. Combined Thermosensitive Gel Co-Loaded with Dermaseptin-PP and PTX Liposomes for Effective Local Chemotherapy. Int J Nanomedicine 2023; 18:413-424. [PMID: 36711004 PMCID: PMC9875583 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s385470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chemotherapeutic drugs are often ineffective due to the delivery. Local chemotherapy, which has high drug concentration, low systemic toxicity, and long duration, has shown excellent potential. Cationic antimicrobial peptides have been proved to enhance the tumor cells' uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs through the membrane-breaking effect. In this study, we designed and developed a thermosensitive gel co-loaded with Dermaseptin-PP and paclitaxel liposomes to increase local chemotherapy. Methods The paclitaxel liposomes were prepared. Then, it was co-loaded with Dermaseptin-PP in a poloxamer-based thermosensitive gel to obtain Dermaseptin-PP/paclitaxel liposomes gel. The thermosensitivity of gels was investigated by test tube inversion method. The rheology was tested by rheometer. The in vitro cytotoxicity and the permeation in tumor of gels were examined by H157 cells and the 3D cell model, respectively. The retention in tumor and antitumor activity of gels were evaluated by H157 tumor-bearing nude mice. Results The particle size of paclitaxel liposomes was 148.97 ± 0.21 nm. The encapsulation rate was 86.1%, and the drug loading capacity was 19.4%. The gels had slow-release and temperature-sensitive properties. The porous 3D network structure of the gels could ensure that the drug was fixed into the tumor. In vitro and in vivo distribution studies showed that Dermaseptin-PP promoted the permeation of the gels in H157 multicellular tumor spheres and achieved longer retention in tumor. In vitro and in vivo antitumor studies demonstrated that Dermaseptin-PP/paclitaxel liposomes gel significantly inhibited the growth of tumors for local chemotherapy with good biosafety. Conclusion This study provided a promising nanomedicine platform for combining antimicrobial peptides and chemotherapeutic drugs for local chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Dong
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing Zhang
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changhai Wang
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjun Hu
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xianglong Yu
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mingxue Guo
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meng Sun
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shouying Du
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Lu
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, People’s Republic of China
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Wadhwani P, Sekaran S, Strandberg E, Bürck J, Chugh A, Ulrich AS. Membrane Interactions of Latarcins: Antimicrobial Peptides from Spider Venom. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810156. [PMID: 34576320 PMCID: PMC8470881 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A group of seven peptides from spider venom with diverse sequences constitute the latarcin family. They have been described as membrane-active antibiotics, but their lipid interactions have not yet been addressed. Using circular dichroism and solid-state 15N-NMR, we systematically characterized and compared the conformation and helix alignment of all seven peptides in their membrane-bound state. These structural results could be correlated with activity assays (antimicrobial, hemolysis, fluorescence vesicle leakage). Functional synergy was not observed amongst any of the latarcins. In the presence of lipids, all peptides fold into amphiphilic α-helices as expected, the helices being either surface-bound or tilted in the bilayer. The most tilted peptide, Ltc2a, possesses a novel kind of amphiphilic profile with a coiled-coil-like hydrophobic strip and is the most aggressive of all. It indiscriminately permeabilizes natural membranes (antimicrobial, hemolysis) as well as artificial lipid bilayers through the segregation of anionic lipids and possibly enhanced motional averaging. Ltc1, Ltc3a, Ltc4a, and Ltc5a are efficient and selective in killing bacteria but without causing significant bilayer disturbance. They act rather slowly or may even translocate towards intracellular targets, suggesting more subtle lipid interactions. Ltc6a and Ltc7, finally, do not show much antimicrobial action but can nonetheless perturb model bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvesh Wadhwani
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany; (P.W.); (E.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Saiguru Sekaran
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi 110016, India; (S.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Erik Strandberg
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany; (P.W.); (E.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Jochen Bürck
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany; (P.W.); (E.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Archana Chugh
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, Delhi 110016, India; (S.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Anne S. Ulrich
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany; (P.W.); (E.S.); (J.B.)
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Yaseen A, Gull S, Akhtar N, Amin I, Minhas F. HemoNet: Predicting hemolytic activity of peptides with integrated feature learning. J Bioinform Comput Biol 2021; 19:2150021. [PMID: 34353244 DOI: 10.1142/s0219720021500219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Quantifying the hemolytic activity of peptides is a crucial step in the discovery of novel therapeutic peptides. Computational methods are attractive in this domain due to their ability to guide wet-lab experimental discovery or screening of peptides based on their hemolytic activity. However, existing methods are unable to accurately model various important aspects of this predictive problem such as the role of N/C-terminal modifications, D- and L- amino acids, etc. In this work, we have developed a novel neural network-based approach called HemoNet for predicting the hemolytic activity of peptides. The proposed method captures the contextual importance of different amino acids in a given peptide sequence using a specialized feature embedding in conjunction with SMILES-based fingerprint representation of N/C-terminal modifications. We have analyzed the predictive performance of the proposed method using stratified cross-validation in comparison with previous methods, non-redundant cross-validation as well as validation on external peptides and clinical antimicrobial peptides. Our analysis shows the proposed approach achieves significantly better predictive performance (AUC-ROC of 88%) in comparison to previous approaches (HemoPI and HemoPred with AUC-ROC of 73%). HemoNet can be a useful tool in the search for novel therapeutic peptides. The python implementation of the proposed method is available at the URL: https://github.com/adibayaseen/HemoNet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adiba Yaseen
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Gull
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Akhtar
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Imran Amin
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Fayyaz Minhas
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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9
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Ravichandran G, Raju SV, Sarkar P, N. T. S, Al Olayan EM, Aloufi AS, Elokaby MA, Arshad A, Mala K, Arockiaraj J. Bestrophin‐derived peptide,
WP17
, elicits cell wall disruption‐mediated bactericidal activity against
Micrococcus luteus
and anti‐neoplastic effect against murine melanoma cells. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri Ravichandran
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai Tamil Nadu India
| | - Stefi V. Raju
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai Tamil Nadu India
| | - Purabi Sarkar
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai Tamil Nadu India
| | - Saraswathi N. T.
- Molecular Biophysics Lab School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to be University Thanjavur Tamil Nadu India
| | - Ebtesam M. Al Olayan
- Department of Zoology College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh Saudi Arabia
| | - Abeer S. Aloufi
- Department of Zoology College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed A. Elokaby
- Aquaculture Division National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) Alexandria Egypt
| | - Aziz Arshad
- International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences (I‐AQUAS) Universiti Putra Malaysia Port Dickson Negeri Sembilan Malaysia
- Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture University Putra Malaysia Serdang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Kanchana Mala
- Department of Medical Research Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science & Technology Chennai Tamil Nadu India
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai Tamil Nadu India
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10
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Stefi Raju V, Sarkar P, Pachaiappan R, Paray BA, Al-Sadoon MK, Arockiaraj J. Defense involvement of piscidin from striped murrel Channa striatus and its peptides CsRG12 and CsLC11 involvement in an antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 99:368-378. [PMID: 32081807 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2020.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we have evaluated bioinformatics characterization and antimicrobial role of two piscidin (Pi) peptide identified from the established transcriptome of striped murrel Channa striatus (Cs). The identified CsPi cDNA contains 256 nucleotides encode a protein with 70 amino acids in length which has two antimicrobial peptides and named CsRG12 and CsLC11. The gene expression analysis with various immune stimulants indicated an induced expression pattern of CsPi. Antibiogram showed that CsRG12 and CsLC11 was active against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33592, a major multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogen and Bacillus cereus ATCC 2106. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and antibiofilm assays were conducted to observe the activity of pathogenic bacteria with these derived antimicrobial peptides. Flow cytometry analysis noticed that the CsRG12 and CsLC11 disrupt the membrane formation of S. aureus and B. cereus, which was further assured by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images that bleb formation leads to disruption around the bacterial membrane. Overall, it is reported that CsPi is involved in innate immunity as the gene expression plays a remarkable role in up and down regulation during infection. In addition, the involvement of peptides in antibiofilm formation and bacterial membrane disruption support its immune character. This study leads to a possibility for the development of therapeutics in aquaculture biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Stefi Raju
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603 203, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Purabi Sarkar
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603 203, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - R Pachaiappan
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603 203, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Bilal Ahamad Paray
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad K Al-Sadoon
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603 203, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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11
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Saez NJ, Herzig V. Versatile spider venom peptides and their medical and agricultural applications. Toxicon 2018; 158:109-126. [PMID: 30543821 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.11.298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Spiders have been evolving complex and diverse repertoires of peptides in their venoms with vast pharmacological activities for more than 300 million years. Spiders use their venoms for prey capture and defense, hence they contain peptides that target both prey (mainly arthropods) and predators (other arthropods or vertebrates). This includes peptides that potently and selectively modulate a range of targets such as ion channels, receptors and signaling pathways involved in physiological processes. The contribution of these targets in particular disease pathophysiologies makes spider venoms a valuable source of peptides with potential therapeutic use. In addition, peptides with insecticidal activities, used for prey capture, can be exploited for the development of novel bioinsecticides for agricultural use. Although we have already reviewed potential applications of spider venom peptides as therapeutics (in 2010) and as bioinsecticides (in 2012), a considerable number of research articles on both topics have been published since, warranting an updated review. Here we explore the most recent research on the use of spider venom peptides for both medical and agricultural applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Saez
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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12
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Dubovskii PV, Efremov RG. The role of hydrophobic /hydrophilic balance in the activity of structurally flexible vs. rigid cytolytic polypeptides and analogs developed on their basis. Expert Rev Proteomics 2018; 15:873-886. [PMID: 30328726 DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2018.1537786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Being important representatives of various proteomes, membrane-active cationic peptides (CPs) are attractive objects as lead compounds in the design of new antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal, and antiviral molecules. Numerous CPs are found in insect and snake venoms, where many of them reveal cytolytic properties. Due to advances in omics technologies, the number of such peptides is growing dramatically. Areas covered: To understand structure-function relationships for CPs in a living cell, detailed analysis of their hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties is indispensable. We consider two structural classes of membrane-active CPs: latarcins (Ltc) from spider and cardiotoxins (CTXs) from snake venoms. While the former are void off disulfide bonds and conformationally flexible, the latter are structurally rigid and cross-linked with disulfide bonds. In order to elucidate structure-activity relationships behind their antibacterial, anticancer, and hemolytic effects, the properties of these polypeptides are considered on a side-by-side basis. Expert commentary: An ever-increasing number of venom-derived membrane-active polypeptides require new methods for identification of their functional propensities and sequence-based design of novel pharmacological substances. We address these issues considering a number of the designed peptides, based either on Ltc or CTX sequences. Experimental and computer modeling techniques required for these purposes are delineated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V Dubovskii
- a Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry , Russian Academy of Sciences , Moscow , Russia
| | - Roman G Efremov
- a Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry , Russian Academy of Sciences , Moscow , Russia.,b Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology , Dolgoprudnyi , Russian Federation.,c National Research University Higher School of Economics , Moscow , Russia
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13
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Improving therapeutic potential of antibacterial spider venom peptides: coarse-grain molecular dynamics guided approach. Future Med Chem 2018; 10:2309-2322. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2018-0170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Spider venom is a rich source of antibacterial peptides, whose hemolytic activity is often excessive. Methodology: How to get rid of it? Using latarcins from Lachesana tarabaevi and oxyopinin Oxt 4a from Oxyopes takobius spider venoms we performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of these peptides in the presence of lipid bilayers, mimicking erythrocyte membranes. This identified hemolytically active fragments within Oxt 4a and latarcins. Then, we synthesized five 20-residue peptides, containing different parts of the Oxt 4a and latarcin-1 sequence, carrying mutations within the identified regions. Conclusion: The antibacterial and hemolytic tests suggested that the three of the synthesized peptides demonstrated substantial decrease in hemolytic activity, retaining, or even exceeding antibacterial potential of the parent peptides.
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14
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Wang X, Wang G. Insights into Antimicrobial Peptides from Spiders and Scorpions. Protein Pept Lett 2017; 23:707-21. [PMID: 27165405 DOI: 10.2174/0929866523666160511151320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The venoms of spiders and scorpions contain a variety of chemical compounds. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from these organisms were first discovered in the 1990s. As of May 2015, there were 42 spider's and 63 scorpion's AMPs in the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (http://aps.unmc.edu/AP). These peptides have demonstrated broad or narrow-spectrum activities against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In addition, they can be toxic to cancer cells, insects and erythrocytes. To provide insight into such an activity spectrum, this article discusses the discovery, classification, structure and activity relationships, bioinformatics analysis, and potential applications of spider and scorpion AMPs. Our analysis reveals that, in the case of linear peptides, spiders use both glycine-rich and helical peptide models for defense, whereas scorpions use two distinct helical peptide models with different amino acid compositions to exert the observed antimicrobial activities and hemolytic toxicity. Our structural bioinformatics study improves the knowledge in the field and can be used to design more selective peptides to combat tumors, parasites, and viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986495 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6495, USA.
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15
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Abstract
AIM Toxicity arising from hemolytic activity of peptides hinders its further progress as drug candidates. MATERIALS & METHODS This study describes a sequence-based predictor based on a random forest classifier using amino acid composition, dipeptide composition and physicochemical descriptors (named HemoPred). RESULTS This approach could outperform previously reported method and typical classification methods (e.g., support vector machine and decision tree) verified by fivefold cross-validation and external validation with accuracy and Matthews correlation coefficient in excess of 95% and 0.91, respectively. Results revealed the importance of hydrophobic and Cys residues on α-helix and β-sheet, respectively, on the hemolytic activity. CONCLUSION A sequence-based predictor which is publicly available as the web service of HemoPred, is proposed to predict and analyze the hemolytic activity of peptides.
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16
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Lachesana tarabaevi, an expert in membrane-active toxins. Biochem J 2016; 473:2495-506. [PMID: 27287558 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we show that venom of the ant spider Lachesana tarabaevi is unique in terms of molecular composition and toxicity. Whereas venom of most spiders studied is rich in disulfide-containing neurotoxic peptides, L. tarabaevi relies on the production of linear (no disulfide bridges) cytolytic polypeptides. We performed full-scale peptidomic examination of L. tarabaevi venom supported by cDNA library analysis. As a result, we identified several dozen components, and a majority (∼80% of total venom protein) exhibited membrane-active properties. In total, 33 membrane-interacting polypeptides (length of 18-79 amino acid residues) comprise five major groups: repetitive polypeptide elements (Rpe), latarcins (Ltc), met-lysines (MLys), cyto-insectotoxins (CIT) and latartoxins (LtTx). Rpe are short (18 residues) amphiphilic molecules that are encoded by the same genes as antimicrobial peptides Ltc 4a and 4b. Isolation of Rpe confirms the validity of the iPQM (inverted processing quadruplet motif) proposed to mark the cleavage sites in spider toxin precursors that are processed into several mature chains. MLys (51 residues) present 'idealized' amphiphilicity when modelled in a helical wheel projection with sharply demarcated sectors of hydrophobic, cationic and anionic residues. Four families of CIT (61-79 residues) are the primary weapon of the spider, accounting for its venom toxicity. Toxins from the CIT 1 and 2 families have a modular structure consisting of two shorter Ltc-like peptides. We demonstrate that in CIT 1a, these two parts act in synergy when they are covalently linked. This finding supports the assumption that CIT have evolved through the joining of two shorter membrane-active peptides into one larger molecule.
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The Spider Venom Peptide Lycosin-II Has Potent Antimicrobial Activity against Clinically Isolated Bacteria. Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:toxins8050119. [PMID: 27128941 PMCID: PMC4885036 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8050119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have been accepted as excellent candidates for developing novel antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria. Recent studies indicate that spider venoms are the source for the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides. In the present study, we isolated and characterized an antibacterial peptide named lycosin-II from the venom of the spider Lycosa singoriensis. It contains 21 amino acid residue lacking cysteine residues and forms a typical linear amphipathic and cationic α-helical conformation. Lycosin-II displays potent bacteriostatic effect on the tested drug-resistant bacterial strains isolated from hospital patients, including multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, which has presented a huge challenge for the infection therapy. The inhibitory ability of lycosin-II might derive from its binding to cell membrane, because Mg(2+) could compete with the binding sites to reduce the bacteriostatic potency of lycosin-II. Our data suggest that lycosin-II might be a lead in the development of novel antibiotics for curing drug-resistant bacterial infections.
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Chaudhary K, Kumar R, Singh S, Tuknait A, Gautam A, Mathur D, Anand P, Varshney GC, Raghava GPS. A Web Server and Mobile App for Computing Hemolytic Potency of Peptides. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22843. [PMID: 26953092 PMCID: PMC4782144 DOI: 10.1038/srep22843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous therapeutic peptides do not enter the clinical trials just because of their high hemolytic activity. Recently, we developed a database, Hemolytik, for maintaining experimentally validated hemolytic and non-hemolytic peptides. The present study describes a web server and mobile app developed for predicting, and screening of peptides having hemolytic potency. Firstly, we generated a dataset HemoPI-1 that contains 552 hemolytic peptides extracted from Hemolytik database and 552 random non-hemolytic peptides (from Swiss-Prot). The sequence analysis of these peptides revealed that certain residues (e.g., L, K, F, W) and motifs (e.g., "FKK", "LKL", "KKLL", "KWK", "VLK", "CYCR", "CRR", "RFC", "RRR", "LKKL") are more abundant in hemolytic peptides. Therefore, we developed models for discriminating hemolytic and non-hemolytic peptides using various machine learning techniques and achieved more than 95% accuracy. We also developed models for discriminating peptides having high and low hemolytic potential on different datasets called HemoPI-2 and HemoPI-3. In order to serve the scientific community, we developed a web server, mobile app and JAVA-based standalone software (http://crdd.osdd.net/raghava/hemopi/).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumardeep Chaudhary
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ritesh Kumar
- CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector 30C, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sandeep Singh
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Abhishek Tuknait
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ankur Gautam
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Deepika Mathur
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Priya Anand
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
| | - Grish C Varshney
- Cell Biology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gajendra P S Raghava
- Bioinformatics Centre, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh, India
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19
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Dubovskii PV, Vassilevski AA, Kozlov SA, Feofanov AV, Grishin EV, Efremov RG. Latarcins: versatile spider venom peptides. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:4501-22. [PMID: 26286896 PMCID: PMC11113828 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-2016-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Arthropod venoms feature the presence of cytolytic peptides believed to act synergetically with neurotoxins to paralyze prey or deter aggressors. Many of them are linear, i.e., lack disulfide bonds. When isolated from the venom, or obtained by other means, these peptides exhibit common properties. They are cationic; being mostly disordered in aqueous solution, assume amphiphilic α-helical structure in contact with lipid membranes; and exhibit general cytotoxicity, including antifungal, antimicrobial, hemolytic, and anticancer activities. To suit the pharmacological needs, the activity spectrum of these peptides should be modified by rational engineering. As an example, we provide a detailed review on latarcins (Ltc), linear cytolytic peptides from Lachesana tarabaevi spider venom. Diverse experimental and computational techniques were used to investigate the spatial structure of Ltc in membrane-mimicking environments and their effects on model lipid bilayers. The antibacterial activity of Ltc was studied against a panel of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, the action of Ltc on erythrocytes and cancer cells was investigated in detail with confocal laser scanning microscopy. In the present review, we give a critical account of the progress in the research of Ltc. We explore the relationship between Ltc structure and their biological activity and derive molecular characteristics, which can be used for optimization of other linear peptides. Current applications of Ltc and prospective use of similar membrane-active peptides are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V Dubovskii
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - Alexander A Vassilevski
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Sergey A Kozlov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Alexey V Feofanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Eugene V Grishin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Roman G Efremov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya, Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Higher School of Economics, 20 Myasnitskaya, Moscow, 101000, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 9 Institutskiy per., Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141700, Russia
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20
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de Melo ET, Estrela AB, Santos ECG, Machado PRL, Farias KJS, Torres TM, Carvalho E, Lima JPMS, Silva-Júnior AA, Barbosa EG, Fernandes-Pedrosa MDF. Structural characterization of a novel peptide with antimicrobial activity from the venom gland of the scorpion Tityus stigmurus: Stigmurin. Peptides 2015; 68:3-10. [PMID: 25805002 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
A new antimicrobial peptide, herein named Stigmurin, was selected based on a transcriptomic analysis of the Brazilian yellow scorpion Tityus stigmurus venom gland, an underexplored source for toxic peptides with possible biotechnological applications. Stigmurin was investigated in silico, by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and in vitro. The CD spectra suggested that this peptide interacts with membranes, changing its conformation in the presence of an amphipathic environment, with predominance of random coil and beta-sheet structures. Stigmurin exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity, with minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 8.7 to 69.5μM. It was also showed that Stigmurin is toxic against SiHa and Vero E6 cell lines. The results suggest that Stigmurin can be considered a potential anti-infective drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edinara Targino de Melo
- Laboratório de Tecnologia e Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Andréia Bergamo Estrela
- Laboratório de Tecnologia e Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Taffarel Melo Torres
- Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Enéas Carvalho
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Arnóbio Antonio Silva-Júnior
- Laboratório de Tecnologia e Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | | | - Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa
- Laboratório de Tecnologia e Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
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21
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Wang C, Shen M, Gohain N, Tolbert WD, Chen F, Zhang N, Yang K, Wang A, Su Y, Cheng T, Zhao J, Pazgier M, Wang J. Design of a potent antibiotic peptide based on the active region of human defensin 5. J Med Chem 2015; 58:3083-93. [PMID: 25782105 DOI: 10.1021/jm501824a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Human defensin 5 (HD5) is a broad-spectrum antibacterial peptide with a C-terminal active region. To promote the development of this peptide into an antibiotic, we initially substituted Glu21 with Arg because it is an electronegative residue located around the active region. Although detrimental to dimer formation, the E21R substitution markedly enhanced the antibacterial activity of HD5 and increased its ability to penetrate cell membranes, demonstrating that increasing the electropositive charge compensated for the effect of dimer disruption. Subsequently, a partial Arg scanning mutagenesis was performed, and Thr7 was selected for replacement with Arg to further strengthen the antibacterial activity. The newly designed peptide, T7E21R-HD5, exhibited potent antibacterial activity, even in saline and serum solutions. In contrast to monomeric E21R-HD5, T7E21R-HD5 assembled into an atypical dimer with parallel β strands, thus expanding the role of increasing electropositive charge in bactericidal activity and providing a useful guide for further defensin-derived antibiotic design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Mingqiang Shen
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Neelakshi Gohain
- ‡Institute of Human Virology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - William D Tolbert
- ‡Institute of Human Virology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Fang Chen
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Naixin Zhang
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Ke Yang
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.,§Department of Nephrology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Aiping Wang
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yongping Su
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Tianmin Cheng
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jinghong Zhao
- §Department of Nephrology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Marzena Pazgier
- ‡Institute of Human Virology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Junping Wang
- †State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Combined Injury of PLA, Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
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22
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Simunić J, Petrov D, Bouceba T, Kamech N, Benincasa M, Juretić D. Trichoplaxin - a new membrane-active antimicrobial peptide from placozoan cDNA. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2014; 1838:1430-8. [PMID: 24530880 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2014.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A method based on the use of signal peptide sequences from antimicrobial peptide (AMP) precursors was used to mine a placozoa expressed sequence tag database and identified a potential antimicrobial peptide from Trichoplax adhaerens. This peptide, with predicted sequence FFGRLKSVWSAVKHGWKAAKSR is the first AMP from a placozoan species, and was named trichoplaxin. It was chemically synthesized and its structural properties, biological activities and membrane selectivity were investigated. It adopts an α-helical structure in contact with membrane-like environments and is active against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial species (including MRSA), as well as yeasts from the Candida genus. The cytotoxic activity, as assessed by the haemolytic activity against rat erythrocytes, U937 cell permeabilization to propidium iodide and MCF7 cell mitochondrial activity, is significantly lower than the antimicrobial activity. In tests with membrane models, trichoplaxin shows high affinity for anionic prokaryote-like membranes with good fit in kinetic studies. Conversely, there is a low affinity for neutral eukaryote-like membranes and absence of a dose dependent response. With high selectivity for bacterial cells and no homologous sequence in the UniProt, trichoplaxin is a new potential lead compound for development of broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juraj Simunić
- Faculty of Science, University of Split, Nikole Tesle 12, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Dražen Petrov
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Campus Vienna Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tahar Bouceba
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie - UPMC, Plateforme d'Interactions Moléculaires, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, IBPS, 7 Quai Saint-Bernard, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France
| | - Nédia Kamech
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie - UPMC, Equipe Biogenèse des signaux peptidiques, ER3, 7 Quai Saint-Bernard, Paris cedex 05, France; Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems (BOREA), UMR CNRS 7208 - UPMC - IRD207, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 7 rue Cuvier, CP32, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France
| | - Monica Benincasa
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Davor Juretić
- Faculty of Science, University of Split, Nikole Tesle 12, 21000 Split, Croatia.
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Ruiz J, Calderon J, Rondón-Villarreal P, Torres R. Analysis of Structure and Hemolytic Activity Relationships of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs). ADVANCES IN INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS AND COMPUTING 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-01568-2_36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
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Ardisson-Araújo DMP, Morgado FDS, Schwartz EF, Corzo G, Ribeiro BM. A new theraphosid spider toxin causes early insect cell death by necrosis when expressed in vitro during recombinant baculovirus infection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e84404. [PMID: 24349574 PMCID: PMC3862797 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Baculoviruses are the most studied insect viruses in the world and are used for biological control of agricultural and forest insect pests. They are also used as versatile vectors for expression of heterologous proteins. One of the major problems of their use as biopesticides is their slow speed to kill insects. Thus, to address this shortcoming, insect-specific neurotoxins from arachnids have been introduced into the baculovirus genome solely aiming to improve its virulence. In this work, an insecticide-like toxin gene was obtained from a cDNA derived from the venom glands of the theraphosid spider Brachypelma albiceps. The mature form of the peptide toxin (called Ba3) has a high content of basic amino acid residues, potential for three possible disulfide bonds, and a predicted three-stranded β-sheetDifferent constructions of the gene were engineered for recombinant baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nuclepolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) expression. Five different forms of Ba3 were assessed; (1) the full-length sequence, (2) the pro-peptide and mature region, (3) only the mature region, and the mature region fused to an (4) insect or a (5) virus-derived signal peptide were inserted separately into the genome of the baculovirus. All the recombinant viruses induced cell death by necrosis earlier in infection relative to a control virus lacking the toxin gene. However, the recombinant virus containing the mature portion of the toxin gene induced a faster cell death than the other recombinants. We found that the toxin construct with the signal peptide and/or pro-peptide regions delayed the necrosis phenotype. When infected cells were subjected to ultrastructural analysis, the cells showed loss of plasma membrane integrity and structural changes in mitochondria before death. Our results suggest this use of baculovirus is a potential tool to help understand or to identify the effect of insect-specific toxic peptides when produced during infection of insect cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gerardo Corzo
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Bergmann Morais Ribeiro
- Departmento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Sánchez-Vásquez L, Silva-Sanchez J, Jiménez-Vargas JM, Rodríguez-Romero A, Muñoz-Garay C, Rodríguez MC, Gurrola GB, Possani LD. Enhanced antimicrobial activity of novel synthetic peptides derived from vejovine and hadrurin. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013; 1830:3427-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2012] [Revised: 01/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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26
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Kuhn-Nentwig L, Sheynis T, Kolusheva S, Nentwig W, Jelinek R. N-terminal aromatic residues closely impact the cytolytic activity of cupiennin 1a, a major spider venom peptide. Toxicon 2013; 75:177-86. [PMID: 23523532 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cupiennins are small cationic α-helical peptides from the venom of the ctenid spider Cupiennius salei which are characterized by high bactericidal as well as hemolytic activities. To gain insight into the determinants responsible for the broad cytolytic activities, two analogues of cupiennin 1a with different N-terminal hydrophobicities were designed. The insecticidal, bactericidal and hemolytic activities of these analogues were assayed and compared to the native peptide. Specifically, substitution of two N-terminal Phe residues by Ala results in less pronounced insecticidal and cytolytic activity, whereas a substitution by Lys reduces strongly its bactericidal activity and completely diminishes its hemolytic activity up to very high tested concentrations. Biophysical analyses of peptide/bilayer membrane interactions point to distinct interactions of the analogues with lipid bilayers, and dependence upon membrane surface charge. Indeed, we find that lower hemolytic activity was correlated with less surface association of the analogues. In contrast, our data indicate that the reduced bactericidal activity of the two cupiennin 1a analogues likely correspond to greater bilayer-surface localization of the peptides. Overall, ultimate insertion and destruction of the host cell membrane is highly dependent on the presence of Phe-2 and Phe-6 (Cu 1a) or Leu-6 (Cu 2a) in the N-terminal sequences of native cupiennins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Kuhn-Nentwig
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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27
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Imaging the membrane lytic activity of bioactive peptide latarcin 2a. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2012; 1818:3072-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2012.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Revised: 07/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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28
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Peng KC, Lee SH, Hour AL, Pan CY, Lee LH, Chen JY. Five different piscidins from Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: analysis of their expressions and biological functions. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50263. [PMID: 23226256 PMCID: PMC3511469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2012] [Accepted: 10/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Piscidins are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that play important roles in helping fish resist pathogenic infections. Through comparisons of tilapia EST clones, the coding sequences of five piscidin-like AMPs (named TP1∼5) of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, were determined. The complete piscidin coding sequences of TP1, -2, -3, -4, and -5 were respectively composed of 207, 234, 231, 270, and 195 bases, and each contained a translated region of 68, 77, 76, 89, and 64 amino acids. The tissue-specific, Vibrio vulnificus stimulation-specific, and Streptococcus agalactiae stimulation-specific expressions of TP2, -3, and -4 mRNA were determined by a comparative RT-PCR. Results of the tissue distribution analysis revealed high expression levels of TP2 mRNA in the skin, head kidneys, liver, and spleen. To study bacterial stimulation, S. agalactiae (SA47) was injected, and the TP4 transcript was upregulated by >13-fold (compared to the wild-type (WT) control, without injection) and was 60-fold upregulated (compared to the WT control, without injection) 24 h after the S. agalactiae (SA47) injection in the spleen and gills. Synthesized TP3 and TP4 peptides showed antimicrobial activities against several bacteria in this study, while the synthesized TP1, -2, and -5 peptides did not. The synthesized TP2, -3, and -4 peptides showed hemolytic activities and synthesized TP3 and TP4 peptides inhibited tilapia ovary cell proliferation with a dose-dependent effect. In summary, the amphiphilic α-helical cationic peptides of TP3 and TP4 may represent novel and potential antimicrobial agents for further peptide drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Chieh Peng
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Ilan, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Hua Lee
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Ilan, Taiwan
| | - Ai-Ling Hour
- Department of Life Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Yu Pan
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Ilan, Taiwan
| | - Lin-Han Lee
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Ilan, Taiwan
| | - Jyh-Yih Chen
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Ilan, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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29
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Eckert R. Road to clinical efficacy: challenges and novel strategies for antimicrobial peptide development. Future Microbiol 2011; 6:635-51. [PMID: 21707311 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.11.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of magainins, cecropins and defensins 30 years ago, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been hailed as a potential solution to the dearth of novel antibiotic development. AMPs have shown robust activity against a wide variety of pathogens, including drug-resistant bacteria. Unlike small-molecule antibiotics, however, AMPs have failed to translate this success to the clinic. Only the polymyxins, gramicidins, nisin and daptomycin are currently approved for medical use; the latter is the only example to have been developed in the last several decades. Nonetheless, researchers continue to isolate, modify and develop novel AMPs for therapeutic applications. Efforts have focused on increasing stability, reducing cytotoxicity, improving antimicrobial activity and incorporating AMPs in novel formulations, including nanoscale particles. As peptide synthesis and recombinant production methodologies improve, and more relevant bioassays become available, it becomes increasingly likely that AMPs will break the regulatory barrier and enter the marketplace as valuable antimicrobial weapons in the next 10 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal Eckert
- C3 Jian, Inc., 423 Hindry Ave, Unit D, Inglewood, CA 90301, USA.
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30
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Investigating the effect of a single glycine to alanine substitution on interactions of antimicrobial peptide latarcin 2a with a lipid membrane. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2011; 40:1087-100. [DOI: 10.1007/s00249-011-0726-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2011] [Revised: 06/03/2011] [Accepted: 06/12/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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