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Chen P, Ye T, Li C, Praveen P, Hu Z, Li W, Shang C. Embracing the era of antimicrobial peptides with marine organisms. Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:331-346. [PMID: 37743806 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00031a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Covering: 2018 to Jun of 2023The efficiency of traditional antibiotics has been undermined by the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic microorganisms, necessitating the pursuit of innovative therapeutic agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are part of host defence peptides found ubiquitously in nature, exhibiting a wide range of activity towards bacteria, fungi, and viruses, offer a highly promising candidate solution. The efficacy of AMPs can frequently be augmented via alterations to their amino acid sequences or structural adjustments. Given the vast reservoir of marine life forms and their distinctive ecosystems, marine AMPs stand as a burgeoning focal point in the quest for alternative peptide templates extracted from natural sources. Advances in identification and characterization techniques have accelerated the discoveries of marine AMPs, thereby stimulating AMP customization, optimization, and synthesis research endeavours. This review presents an overview of recent discoveries related to the intriguing qualities of marine AMPs. Emphasis will be placed upon post-translational modifications (PTMs) of marine AMPs and how they may impact functionality and potency. Additionally, this review considers ways in which marine PTM might support larger-scale, heterologous AMP manufacturing initiatives, providing insights into translational applications of these important biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyu Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Ting Ye
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
| | - Chunyuan Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
| | - Praveen Praveen
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
| | - Zhangli Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
| | - Wenyi Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
| | - Chenjing Shang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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2
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Wu YX, Hu SY, Lu XJ, Hu JR. Identification and characterization of two novel antimicrobial peptides from Japanese sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) with antimicrobial activity and MO/MФ activation capability. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 145:104726. [PMID: 37149238 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.104726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Piscidins participate in the innate immune response of fish, which aims to eliminate recognized foreign microbes and restore the homeostasis of immune system. We characterized two piscidin-like antimicrobial peptides (LjPL-3 and LjPL-2) isolated from Japanese sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus). LjPL-3 and LjPL-2 showed different expression patterns in tissues. After Vibrio harveyi infection, the mRNA expression of LjPL-3 and LjPL-2 was upregulated in the liver, spleen, head kidney, and trunk kidney. The synthetic mature peptides LjPL-3 and LjPL-2 exhibited different antimicrobial spectra. Furthermore, LjPL-3 and LjPL-2 treatments decreased inflammatory cytokine production while promoting chemotaxis and phagocytosis in monocytes/macrophages (MO/MФ). LjPL-2, but not LjPL-3, displayed bacterial killing capability in MO/MФ. LjPL-3 and LjPL-2 administration increased Japanese sea bass survival after V. harveyi challenge, which was accompanied by a decline in bacterial burden. These data suggested that LjPL-3 and LjPL-2 participate in immune response through direct bacterial killing and MO/MФ activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xin Wu
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, China; Department of Physiology, and Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuai-Yue Hu
- Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin-Jiang Lu
- Department of Physiology, and Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
| | - Jian-Rao Hu
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, China.
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Falco A, Adamek M, Pereiro P, Hoole D, Encinar JA, Novoa B, Mallavia R. The Immune System of Marine Organisms as Source for Drugs against Infectious Diseases. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20060363. [PMID: 35736166 PMCID: PMC9230875 DOI: 10.3390/md20060363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The high proliferation of microorganisms in aquatic environments has allowed their coevolution for billions of years with other living beings that also inhabit these niches. Among the different existing types of interaction, the eternal competition for supremacy between the susceptible species and their pathogens has selected, as part of the effector division of the immune system of the former ones, a vast and varied arsenal of efficient antimicrobial molecules, which is highly amplified by the broad biodiversity radiated, above any others, at the marine habitats. At present, the great recent scientific and technological advances already allow the massive discovery and exploitation of these defense compounds for therapeutic purposes against infectious diseases of our interest. Among them, antimicrobial peptides and antimicrobial metabolites stand out because of the wide dimensions of their structural diversities, mechanisms of action, and target pathogen ranges. This revision work contextualizes the research in this field and serves as a presentation and scope identification of the Special Issue from Marine Drugs journal “The Immune System of Marine Organisms as Source for Drugs against Infectious Diseases”.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Falco
- Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology in Elche (IDiBE), Miguel Hernández University (UMH), 03202 Elche, Spain; (J.A.E.); (R.M.)
- Correspondence: (A.F.); (M.A.)
| | - Mikolaj Adamek
- Fish Disease Research Unit, Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 30559 Hannover, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.F.); (M.A.)
| | - Patricia Pereiro
- Institute of Marine Research, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IIM-CSIC), 36208 Vigo, Spain; (P.P.); (B.N.)
| | - David Hoole
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK;
| | - José Antonio Encinar
- Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology in Elche (IDiBE), Miguel Hernández University (UMH), 03202 Elche, Spain; (J.A.E.); (R.M.)
| | - Beatriz Novoa
- Institute of Marine Research, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IIM-CSIC), 36208 Vigo, Spain; (P.P.); (B.N.)
| | - Ricardo Mallavia
- Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology in Elche (IDiBE), Miguel Hernández University (UMH), 03202 Elche, Spain; (J.A.E.); (R.M.)
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Duan Y, Ouyang J, Mo G, Hao W, Zhang P, Yang H, Liu X, Wang R, Cao B, Wang Y, Yu H. Defensing role of novel piscidins from largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) with evidence of bactericidal activities and inducible expressional delineation. Microbiol Res 2021; 256:126953. [PMID: 34972023 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Micropterus salmoides is an economical important species of freshwater-cultured fish, the in-depth knowledge of its immune system is in urgent development to cope with serious infectious diseases. Piscidin is an important antimicrobial peptide (AMP) family existing in almost all teleosts. However, no piscidin has been reported in largemouth bass. In this study, three novel piscidins (MSPiscidin-1, -2, and -3) were firstly identified and characterized from the largemouth bass. The predicted mature peptides of MSPiscidin-1, -2, and -3 (consists of 24, 27, 25 amino acid residues, respectively) all adopted an amphipathic α-helical conformation representative of cationic AMPs that are important for membrane permeabilization and antibacterial activity. MSPiscidin-2 and -3 indeed displayed strong, broad-spectrum, and highly efficient antimicrobial activities in vitro against aquatic pathogens, but MSPiscidin-1 didn't show direct antimicrobial activity. MSPiscidin-2 and -3 killed bacteria mainly by inducing membrane permeabilization, in addition, they also can interact with bacterial genomic DNA, which might influence the DNA replication and transcription. Besides, MSPiscidin-2 and -3 could effectively inhibit the formation of the bacterial biofilm and eliminate the preformed biofilms. In vivo, MSPiscidin-1-3 genes showed an inducible expression pattern in the tested tissues upon Vibrio harveyi infection, which further indicated the key roles of piscidins in innate immunity in largemouth bass. Overall, this study will supplement the understanding of M. salmoides innate immune system and provide candidates for the design of novel peptide antibacterial agents used in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Duan
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, China
| | - Jianhong Ouyang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Guoxiang Mo
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China
| | - Weijing Hao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215004, China
| | - Huaixin Yang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, China
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, China
| | - Runying Wang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, China
| | - Biyin Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Yipeng Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China.
| | - Haining Yu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, China.
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Qiao Y, Ma X, Zhang M, Zhong S. Cerocin, a novel piscidin-like antimicrobial peptide from black seabass, Centropristis striata. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 110:86-90. [PMID: 33348038 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides, which are crucial effectors of innate immunity, are a promising substitute for antibiotics. The piscidin family is a group of fish-derived antimicrobial peptides that have potent antimicrobial activity and participate in the innate immune response. Here we describe a novel piscidin-like peptide called cerocin from the black sea bass (Centropristis striata), which is a highly valued marine teleost in both commercial and recreational fisheries worldwide. The full-length cDNA of cerocin consists of 567 base pairs, including 5' and 3' untranslated regions of 61 and 209 base pairs, respectively. The active peptide consists of 20 amino acids that form an amphipathic α-helix structure. Cerocin showed highest identity with the cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus fasciatus) piscidin (52%). Phylogenetic tree demonstrated that the cerocin clustered with dicentracin of Liparis tanakae and Perca flavescens. It showed tissue-specific distribution patterns and was predominantly expressed in the gill. After challenge with Vibrio harveyi, C. striata showed time- and tissue-dependent expression of the cerocin gene. Finally, a cerocin peptide was synthesized, and it exerted broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against a number of bacterial strains, especially Gram-positive pathogens. Analysis of the killing kinetics revealed that the cerocin peptide had a rapid bactericidal effect on the bacteria. Collectively, these data suggest that the piscidin-like cerocin might play a vital role in the immune response of C. striata, and further studies of this gene may provide insight into the innate immune system of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Qiao
- Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, 536000, China
| | - Xiaowan Ma
- Fourth Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beihai, 536000, China.
| | - Man Zhang
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Shengping Zhong
- Institute of Marine Drugs, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, 530200, China
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Barroso C, Carvalho P, Carvalho C, Santarém N, Gonçalves JFM, Rodrigues PNS, Neves JV. The Diverse Piscidin Repertoire of the European Sea Bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax): Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Activities. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134613. [PMID: 32610543 PMCID: PMC7369796 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish rely on their innate immune responses to cope with the challenging aquatic environment, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) being one of the first line of defenses. Piscidins are a group of fish specific AMPs isolated in several species. However, in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchuslabrax), the piscidin family remains poorly understood. We identified six different piscidins in sea bass, performed an in-depth molecular characterization and evaluated their antimicrobial activities against several bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Sea bass piscidins present variable amino acid sequences and antimicrobial activities, and can be divided in different sub groups: group 1, formed by piscidins 1 and 4; group 2, constituted by piscidins 2 and 5, and group 3, formed by piscidins 6 and 7. Additionally, we demonstrate that piscidins 1 to 5 possess a broad effect on multiple microorganisms, including mammalian parasites, while piscidins 6 and 7 have poor antibacterial and antiparasitic activities. These results raise questions on the functions of these peptides, particularly piscidins 6 and 7. Considering their limited antimicrobial activity, these piscidins might have other functional roles, but further studies are necessary to better understand what roles might those be.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Barroso
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Programa Doutoral em Biologia Molecular e Celular (MCbiology), ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Pedro Carvalho
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
| | - Carla Carvalho
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Parasite Disease, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Santarém
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Parasite Disease, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - José F. M. Gonçalves
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
- CIIMAR—Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro N. S. Rodrigues
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
| | - João V. Neves
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
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Cetuk H, Maramba J, Britt M, Scott AJ, Ernst RK, Mihailescu M, Cotten ML, Sukharev S. Differential Interactions of Piscidins with Phospholipids and Lipopolysaccharides at Membrane Interfaces. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:5065-5077. [PMID: 32306736 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Piscidins 1 and 3 (P1 and P3) are potent antimicrobial peptides isolated from striped bass. Their mechanism of action involves formation of amphipathic α-helices on contact with phospholipids and destabilization of the microbial cytoplasmic membrane. The peptides are active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, suggesting easy passage across the outer membrane. Here, we performed a comparative study of these two piscidins at the air-water interface on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) monolayers modeling the outer bacterial surface of Gram-negative organisms and on phospholipid monolayers, which mimic the inner membrane. The results show that P1 and P3 are highly surface active (log KAW ∼ 6.8) and have similar affinities to phospholipid monolayers (log Klip ≈ 7.7). P1, which is more potent against Gram negatives, exhibits a much stronger partitioning into LPS monolayers (log KLPS = 8.3). Pressure-area isotherms indicate that under increasing lateral pressures, inserted P1 repartitions from phospholipid monolayers back to the subphase or to a more shallow position with in-plane areas of ∼170 Å2 per peptide, corresponding to fully folded amphipathic α-helices. In contrast, peptide expulsion from LPS occurs with areas of ∼35 Å2, suggesting that the peptides may not form the similarly oriented, rigid secondary structures when they avidly intercalate between LPS molecules. Patch-clamp experiments on Escherichia coli spheroplasts show that when P1 and P3 reach the outer surface of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, they produce fluctuating conductive structures at voltages above 80 mV. The data suggests that the strong activity of these piscidins against Gram-negative bacteria begins with the preferential accumulation of peptides in the outer LPS layer followed by penetration into the periplasm, where they form stable amphipathic α-helices upon contact with phospholipids and attack the energized inner membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Cetuk
- Biology Department, University of Maryland-College Park, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Joseph Maramba
- Biology Department, University of Maryland-College Park, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Madolyn Britt
- Biology Department, University of Maryland-College Park, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Alison J Scott
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Robert K Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Mihaela Mihailescu
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Myriam L Cotten
- Department of Applied Science, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185, United States
| | - Sergei Sukharev
- Biology Department, University of Maryland-College Park, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
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Borocci S, Della Pelle G, Ceccacci F, Olivieri C, Buonocore F, Porcelli F. Structural Analysis and Design of Chionodracine-Derived Peptides Using Circular Dichroism and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1401. [PMID: 32092980 PMCID: PMC7073106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have been identified as one of the alternatives to the extensive use of common antibiotics as they show a broad spectrum of activity against human pathogens. Among these is Chionodracine (Cnd), a host-defense peptide isolated from the Antarctic icefish Chionodraco hamatus, which belongs to the family of Piscidins. Previously, we demonstrated that Cnd and its analogs display high antimicrobial activity against ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter species). Herein, we investigate the interactions with lipid membranes of Cnd and two analogs, Cnd-m3 and Cnd-m3a, showing enhanced potency. Using a combination of Circular Dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and all-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations, we determined the structural basis for the different activity among these peptides. We show that all peptides are predominantly unstructured in water and fold, preferentially as α-helices, in the presence of lipid vesicles of various compositions. Through a series of MD simulations of 400 ns time scale, we show the effect of mutations on the structure and lipid interactions of Cnd and its analogs. By explaining the structural basis for the activity of these analogs, our findings provide structural templates to design minimalistic peptides for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Borocci
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (S.B.); (G.D.P.); (F.B.)
- CNR—Institute for Biological Systems, Via Salaria, Km 29.500, 00015 Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Della Pelle
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (S.B.); (G.D.P.); (F.B.)
| | - Francesca Ceccacci
- CNR—Institute for Biological Systems, Sede Secondaria di Roma-Meccanismi di Reazione, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Cristina Olivieri
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Francesco Buonocore
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (S.B.); (G.D.P.); (F.B.)
| | - Fernando Porcelli
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (S.B.); (G.D.P.); (F.B.)
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