1
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Peng J, Li L, Wan Y, Yang Y, An X, Yuan K, Qiu Z, Jiang Y, Guo G, Shen F, Liang G. Molecular characterization and antimicrobial activity of cecropin family in Hermetia illucens. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 152:105111. [PMID: 38081402 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.105111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are potential alternatives to traditional antibiotics in the face of increasing bacterial resistance. Insects possess many antimicrobial peptides and have become a valuable source of novel and highly effective antimicrobial peptides. Hermetia illucens as a resource insect, for example, has the highest number of antimicrobial peptides of any dipteran. However, most antimicrobial peptides, especially cecropin, have not been comprehensively identified and have not been evaluated for their antimicrobial ability. In this study, we analyzed the localization and gene structure of 33 cecropin molecules in the H. illucens genome and evaluated their activity against common human pathogens. The results showed that 32 cecropin molecules were concentrated on 1 chromosome, most with 2 exons. More importantly, most of the cecropins had a good antibacterial effect against Gram-negative bacteria, and were not hemolytic. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the cecropin designated H3 against E. coli was 4 μg/mL. The toxicity, killing time kinetics, and anti-biofilm activity of H3 were further investigated and confirmed its antimicrobial ability. Overall, H3 is a potential candidate for the development of new antimicrobials to treat severe infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens such as E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Peng
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Li
- Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqin An
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kexin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhilang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinhui Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Guo
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Shen
- Guizhou Institute of Precision Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guiyou Liang
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Cardiac Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550009, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Ahmadi Y, Savini F, Mutter N, Barišić I. Application of Antimicrobial Peptides as Diagnostic Biosensors. Anal Chem 2024; 96:256-264. [PMID: 38115687 PMCID: PMC10783173 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how emerging infectious diseases could quickly affect the global health and economy. New pathogens with pandemic potential are also expected to appear soon. Moreover, the large use of antibiotics has led to the development of different so-called "superbugs" capable of escaping all of the current antibiotics. In this context, the early and cost-effective detection of pathogens is crucial to avoid the spreading of new pathogens. Here, we present molecular sensors for the recognition of a broad panel of different bacterial species. The detection is based on the use of bacteria-binding peptides (BBPs) in combination with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). We developed a reliable ELISA-like assay that permits us to study the affinity of different BBPs toward some of the most important bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Ahmadi
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Filippo Savini
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Natalie Mutter
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivan Barišić
- Molecular
Diagnostics, Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Eko
Refugium, Crno Vrelo
2, 47240 Slunj, Croatia
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3
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Lee S, Schefter BR, Taheri-Araghi S, Ha BY. Modeling selectivity of antimicrobial peptides: how it depends on the presence of host cells and cell density. RSC Adv 2023; 13:34167-34182. [PMID: 38020026 PMCID: PMC10663724 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra06030f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), naturally-occurring peptide antibiotics, are known to attack bacteria selectively over the host cells. The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria has spurred much effort in utilizing optimized (more selective) AMPs as new peptide antibiotics. Cell selectivity of these peptides depends on various factors or parameters such as their binding affinity for cell membranes, peptide trapping in cells, peptide coverages on cell membranes required for membrane rupture, and cell densities. In this work, using a biophysical model of peptide selectivity, we show this dependence quantitatively especially for a mixture of bacteria and host cells. The model suggests a rather nontrivial dependence of the selectivity on the presence of host cells, cell density, and peptide trapping. In a typical biological setting, peptide trapping works in favor of host cells; the selectivity increases with increasing host-cell density but decreases with bacterial cell density. Because of the cell-density dependence of peptide activity, the selectivity can be overestimated by two or three orders of magnitude. The model also clarifies how the cell selectivity of AMPs differs from their membrane selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suemin Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Bethany R Schefter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario London Ontario N6A 3K7 Canada
| | - Sattar Taheri-Araghi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge CA 91330 USA
| | - Bae-Yeun Ha
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada
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4
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Roversi D, Troiano C, Salnikov E, Giordano L, Riccitelli F, De Zotti M, Casciaro B, Loffredo MR, Park Y, Formaggio F, Mangoni ML, Bechinger B, Stella L. Effects of antimicrobial peptides on membrane dynamics: A comparison of fluorescence and NMR experiments. Biophys Chem 2023; 300:107060. [PMID: 37336097 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising class of compounds to fight resistant infections. They are commonly thought to kill bacteria by perturbing the permeability of their cell membranes. However, bacterial killing requires a high coverage of the cell surface by bound peptides, at least in the case of cationic and amphipathic AMPs. Therefore, it is conceivable that peptide accumulation on the bacterial membranes might interfere with vital cellular functions also by perturbing bilayer dynamics, a hypothesis that has been termed "sand in the gearbox". Here we performed a systematic study of such possible effects, for two representative peptides (the cationic cathelicidin PMAP-23 and the peptaibol alamethicin), employing fluorescence and NMR spectroscopies. These approaches are commonly applied to characterize lipid order and dynamics, but sample different time-scales and could thus report on different membrane properties. In our case, fluorescence anisotropy measurements on liposomes labelled with probes localized at different depths in the bilayer showed that both peptides perturb membrane fluidity and order. Pyrene excimer-formation experiments showed a peptide-induced reduction in lipid lateral mobility. Finally, laurdan fluorescence indicated that peptide binding reduces water penetration below the headgroups region. Comparable effects were observed also in fluorescence experiments performed directly on live bacterial cells. By contrast, the fatty acyl chain order parameters detected by deuterium NMR spectroscopy remained virtually unaffected by addition of the peptides. The apparent discrepancy between the two techniques confirms previous sporadic observations and is discussed in terms of the different characteristic times of the two approaches. The perturbation of membrane dynamics in the ns timescale, indicated by the multiple fluorescence approaches reported here, could contribute to the antimicrobial activity of AMPs, by affecting the function of membrane proteins, which is strongly dependent on the physicochemical properties of the bilayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Roversi
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Cassandra Troiano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Evgeniy Salnikov
- RMN et Biophysique des membranes, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, CNRS/UMR 7177, Université de Strasbourg, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Lorenzo Giordano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Francesco Riccitelli
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Marta De Zotti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Center for Proteinaceous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Fernando Formaggio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- RMN et Biophysique des membranes, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, CNRS/UMR 7177, Université de Strasbourg, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, Strasbourg 67000, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris 75005, France
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy.
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5
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Tang R, Tan H, Dai Y, Li L, Huang Y, Yao H, Cai Y, Yu G. Application of antimicrobial peptides in plant protection: making use of the overlooked merits. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1139539. [PMID: 37538059 PMCID: PMC10394246 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1139539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Pathogen infection is one of the major causes of yield loss in the crop field. The rapid increase of antimicrobial resistance in plant pathogens has urged researchers to develop both new pesticides and management strategies for plant protection. The antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) showed potential on eliminating plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Here, we first summarize several overlooked advantages and merits of AMPs, which includes the steep dose-response relations, fast killing ability, broad synergism, slow resistance selection. We then discuss the possible application of AMPs for plant protection with above merits, and highlight how AMPs can be incorporated into a more efficient integrated management system that both increases the crop yield and reduce resistance evolution of pathogens.
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6
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Troiano C, De Ninno A, Casciaro B, Riccitelli F, Park Y, Businaro L, Massoud R, Mangoni ML, Bisegna P, Stella L, Caselli F. Rapid Assessment of Susceptibility of Bacteria and Erythrocytes to Antimicrobial Peptides by Single-Cell Impedance Cytometry. ACS Sens 2023. [PMID: 37421371 PMCID: PMC10391704 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising class of compounds to fight antibiotic-resistant infections. In most cases, they kill bacteria by making their membrane permeable and therefore exhibit low propensity to induce bacterial resistance. In addition, they are often selective, killing bacteria at concentrations lower than those at which they are toxic to the host. However, clinical applications of AMPs are hindered by a limited understanding of their interactions with bacteria and human cells. Standard susceptibility testing methods are based on the analysis of the growth of a bacterial population and therefore require several hours. Moreover, different assays are required to assess the toxicity to host cells. In this work, we propose the use of microfluidic impedance cytometry to explore the action of AMPs on both bacteria and host cells in a rapid manner and with single-cell resolution. Impedance measurements are particularly well-suited to detect the effects of AMPs on bacteria, due to the fact that the mechanism of action involves perturbation of the permeability of cell membranes. We show that the electrical signatures of Bacillus megaterium cells and human red blood cells (RBCs) reflect the action of a representative antimicrobial peptide, DNS-PMAP23. In particular, the impedance phase at high frequency (e.g., 11 or 20 MHz) is a reliable label-free metric for monitoring DNS-PMAP23 bactericidal activity and toxicity to RBCs. The impedance-based characterization is validated by comparison with standard antibacterial activity assays and absorbance-based hemolytic activity assays. Furthermore, we demonstrate the applicability of the technique to a mixed sample of B. megaterium cells and RBCs, which paves the way to study AMP selectivity for bacterial versus eukaryotic cells in the presence of both cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Troiano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Adele De Ninno
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, Italian National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Riccitelli
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Natural science, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
| | - Luca Businaro
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, Italian National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Renato Massoud
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Bisegna
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Caselli
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
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7
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Witzany C, Rolff J, Regoes RR, Igler C. The pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling framework as a tool to predict drug resistance evolution. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001368. [PMID: 37522891 PMCID: PMC10433423 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PKPD) models, which describe how drug concentrations change over time and how that affects pathogen growth, have proven highly valuable in designing optimal drug treatments aimed at bacterial eradication. However, the fast rise of antimicrobial resistance calls for increased focus on an additional treatment optimization criterion: avoidance of resistance evolution. We demonstrate here how coupling PKPD and population genetics models can be used to determine treatment regimens that minimize the potential for antimicrobial resistance evolution. Importantly, the resulting modelling framework enables the assessment of resistance evolution in response to dynamic selection pressures, including changes in antimicrobial concentration and the emergence of adaptive phenotypes. Using antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides as an example, we discuss the empirical evidence and intuition behind individual model parameters. We further suggest several extensions of this framework that allow a more comprehensive and realistic prediction of bacterial escape from antimicrobials through various phenotypic and genetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jens Rolff
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Roland R. Regoes
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Igler
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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8
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Barman S, Mukherjee S, Jolly L, Troiano C, Grottesi A, Basak D, Calligari P, Bhattacharjee B, Bocchinfuso G, Stella L, Haldar J. Isoamphipathic antibacterial molecules regulating activity and toxicity through positional isomerism. Chem Sci 2023; 14:4845-4856. [PMID: 37181778 PMCID: PMC10171078 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc06065e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptidomimetic antimicrobials exhibit a selective interaction with bacterial cells over mammalian cells once they have achieved an optimum amphiphilic balance (hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity) in the molecular architecture. To date, hydrophobicity and cationic charge have been considered the crucial parameters to attain such amphiphilic balance. However, optimization of these properties is not enough to circumvent unwanted toxicity towards mammalian cells. Hence, herein, we report new isoamphipathic antibacterial molecules (IAMs: 1-3) where positional isomerism was introduced as one of the guiding factors for molecular design. This class of molecules displayed good (MIC = 1-8 μg mL-1 or μM) to moderate [MIC = 32-64 μg mL-1 (32.2-64.4 μM)] antibacterial activity against multiple Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Positional isomerism showed a strong influence on regulating antibacterial activity and toxicity for ortho [IAM-1: MIC = 1-32 μg mL-1 (1-32.2 μM), HC50 = 650 μg mL-1 (654.6 μM)], meta [IAM-2: MIC = 1-16 μg mL-1 (1-16.1 μM), HC50 = 98 μg mL-1 (98.7 μM)] and para [IAM-3: MIC = 1-16 μg mL-1 (1-16.1 μM), HC50 = 160 μg mL-1 (161.1 μM)] isomers. Co-culture studies and investigation of membrane dynamics indicated that ortho isomer, IAM-1 exerted more selective activity towards bacterial over mammalian membranes, compared to meta and para isomers. Furthermore, the mechanism of action of the lead molecule (IAM-1) has been characterized through detailed molecular dynamics simulations. In addition, the lead molecule displayed substantial efficacy against dormant bacteria and mature biofilms, unlike conventional antibiotics. Importantly, IAM-1 exhibited moderate in vivo activity against MRSA wound infection in a murine model with no detectable dermal toxicity. Altogether, the report explored the design and development of isoamphipathic antibacterial molecules to establish the role of positional isomerism in achieving selective and potential antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swagatam Barman
- Antibacterial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
| | - Sudip Mukherjee
- Antibacterial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
| | - Logia Jolly
- Antibacterial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
| | - Cassandra Troiano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1 00133 Rome Italy
| | | | - Debajyoti Basak
- Antibacterial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
| | - Paolo Calligari
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Brinta Bhattacharjee
- Antibacterial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
| | - Gianfranco Bocchinfuso
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Jayanta Haldar
- Antibacterial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
- School of Advanced Materials, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Jakkur Bangalore 560064 India
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9
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Beck K, Nandy J, Hoernke M. Membrane permeabilization can be crucially biased by a fusogenic lipid composition - leaky fusion caused by antimicrobial peptides in model membranes. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2919-2931. [PMID: 37010846 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01691e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Induced membrane permeabilization or leakage is often taken as an indication for activity of membrane-active molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The exact leakage mechanism is often unknown, but important, because certain mechanisms might actually contribute to microbial killing, while others are unselective, or potentially irrelevant in an in vivo situation. Using an antimicrobial example peptide (cR3W3), we illustrate one of the potentially misleading leakage mechanisms: leaky fusion, where leakage is coupled to membrane fusion. Like many others, we examine peptide-induced leakage in model vesicles consisting of binary mixtures of anionic and zwitterionic phospholipids. In fact, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine (PG/PE) are supposed to reflect bacterial membranes, but exhibit a high propensity for vesicle aggregation and fusion. We describe the implications of this vesicle fusion and aggregation for the reliability of model studies. The ambiguous role of the relatively fusogenic PE-lipids becomes clear as leakage decreases significantly when aggregation and fusion are prevented by sterical shielding. Furthermore, the mechanism of leakage changes if PE is exchanged for phosphatidylcholine (PC). We thus point out that the lipid composition of model membranes can be biased towards leaky fusion. This can lead to discrepancies between model studies and activity in true microbes, because leaky fusion is likely prevented by bacterial peptidoglycan layers. In conclusion, choosing the model membrane might implicate the type of effect (here leakage mechanism) that is observed. In the worst case, as with leaky fusion of PG/PE vesicles, this is not directly relevant for the intended antimicrobial application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Beck
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
| | - Janina Nandy
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.
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10
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Cantini F, Giannì P, Bobone S, Troiano C, van Ingen H, Massoud R, Perini N, Migliore L, Savarin P, Sanders C, Stella L, Sette M. Structural and Functional Characterization of the Newly Designed Antimicrobial Peptide Crabrolin21. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:365. [PMID: 36984752 PMCID: PMC10053045 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13030365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: antimicrobial resistance is becoming a dramatic problem for public health, and the design of new antimicrobial agents is an active research area. (2) Methods: based on our previous work, we designed an improved version of the crabrolin peptide and characterized its functional and structural properties with a wide range of techniques. (3) Results: the newly designed peptide, crabrolin21, is much more active than the previous ones and shows specific selectivity towards bacterial cells. (4) Conclusions: crabrolin21 shows interesting properties and deserves further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cantini
- Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM), University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
| | - Paola Giannì
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione G.I.M.EM.A.-Franco Mandelli Onlus, 00182 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Bobone
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Cassandra Troiano
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Hugo van Ingen
- NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Renato Massoud
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Perini
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Luciana Migliore
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy
| | - Philippe Savarin
- Chemistry Structures Properties of Biomaterials and Therapeutic Agents Laboratory (CSPBAT), Nanomédecine Biomarqueurs Détection Team (NBD), Sorbonne Paris Nord University, The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), UMR 7244, 74 Rue Marcel Cachin, CEDEX, 93017 Bobigny, France
| | - Charles Sanders
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Sette
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Chemistry Structures Properties of Biomaterials and Therapeutic Agents Laboratory (CSPBAT), Nanomédecine Biomarqueurs Détection Team (NBD), Sorbonne Paris Nord University, The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), UMR 7244, 74 Rue Marcel Cachin, CEDEX, 93017 Bobigny, France
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11
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Steigenberger J, Verleysen Y, Geudens N, Madder A, Martins JC, Heerklotz H. Complex electrostatic effects on the selectivity of membrane-permeabilizing cyclic lipopeptides. Biophys J 2023; 122:950-963. [PMID: 35927958 PMCID: PMC10111218 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic lipopeptides (CLiPs) have many biological functions, including the selective permeabilization of target membranes, and technical and medical applications. We studied the anionic CLiP viscosin from Pseudomonas along with a neutral analog, pseudodesmin A, and the cationic viscosin-E2K to better understand electrostatic effects on target selectivity. Calcein leakage from liposomes of anionic phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is measured in comparison with net-neutral phosphatidylcholine by time-resolved fluorescence. By contrast to the typical selectivity of cationic peptides against anionic membranes, we find viscosin more active against PG/PE at 30 μM lipid than viscosin-E2K. At very low lipid concentration, the selectivity is reversed. An equi-activity analysis reveals the reciprocal partition coefficients, 1/K, and the CLiP-to-lipid mole ratio within the membrane as leakage after 1 h reaches 50%, Re50. As expected, 1/K to PG/PE is much lower (higher affinity) for viscosin-E2K (3 μM) than viscosin (15 μM). However, the local damage to the PG/PE membrane caused by a viscosin molecule is much stronger than that of viscosin-E2K. This can be explained by the strong membrane expansion due to PG/viscosin repulsion inducing asymmetry stress between the two leaflets and, ultimately, transient limited leakage at Re50 = 0.08. PG/viscosin-E2K attraction opposes expansion and leakage starts only as the PG charges in the outer leaflet are essentially compensated by the cationic peptide (Re50 = 0.32). In the high-lipid regime (at lipid concentrations cL ≫ 1/K), virtually all CLiP is membrane bound anyway and Re50 governs selectivity, favoring viscosin. In the low-lipid regime at cL ≪ 1/K, virtually all CLiP is in solution, 1/K becomes important and the "cation attacks anionic membrane" selectivity gets restored. Overall, activity and selectivity data can only properly be interpreted if the lipid regime is known and predictions for other lipid concentrations or cell counts require knowledge of 1/K and Re50.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Steigenberger
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Yentl Verleysen
- NMR and Structure Analysis Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Niels Geudens
- NMR and Structure Analysis Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annemieke Madder
- Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - José C Martins
- NMR and Structure Analysis Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Heiko Heerklotz
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Signaling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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12
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Release of immunomodulatory peptides at bacterial membrane interfaces as a novel strategy to fight microorganisms. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:103056. [PMID: 36822328 PMCID: PMC10074799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.103056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cationic and amphiphilic peptides can be used as homing devices to accumulate conjugated antibiotics to bacteria-enriched sites and promote efficient microbial killing. However, just as important as tackling bacterial infections, is the modulation of the immune response in this complex microenvironment. In the present report, we designed a peptide chimaera called Chim2, formed by a membrane-active module, an enzyme hydrolysis site, and a formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) agonist. This molecule was designed to adsorb onto bacterial membranes, promote their lysis, and upon hydrolysis by local enzymes, release the FPR2 agonist sequence for activation and recruitment of immune cells. We synthesized the isolated peptide modules of Chim2 and characterized their biological activities independently and as a single polypeptide chain. We conducted antimicrobial assays, along with other tests aiming at the analyses of the cellular and immunological responses. In addition, assays using vesicles as models of eukaryotic and prokaryotic membranes were conducted, and solution structures of Chim2 were generated by 1H NMR. Chim2 is antimicrobial, adsorbs preferentially to negatively charged vesicles while adopting an α-helix structure, and exposes its disorganized tail to the solvent, which facilitates hydrolysis by tryptase-like enzymes, allowing the release of the FPR2 agonist fragment. This fragment was shown to induce accumulation of the cellular activation marker, lipid bodies, in mouse macrophages and the release of immunomodulatory interleukins. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that peptides with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities can be considered for further development as drugs.
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13
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Bortolotti A, Troiano C, Bobone S, Konai MM, Ghosh C, Bocchinfuso G, Acharya Y, Santucci V, Bonacorsi S, Di Stefano C, Haldar J, Stella L. Mechanism of lipid bilayer perturbation by bactericidal membrane-active small molecules. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2023; 1865:184079. [PMID: 36374761 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Membrane-active small molecules (MASMs) are small organic molecules designed to reproduce the fundamental physicochemical properties of natural antimicrobial peptides: their cationic charge and amphiphilic character. This class of compounds has a promising broad range of antimicrobial activity and, at the same time, solves some major limitations of the peptides, such as their high production costs and low in vivo stability. Most cationic antimicrobial peptides act by accumulating on the surface of bacterial membranes and causing the formation of defects when a threshold is reached. Due to the drastically different structures of the two classes of molecules, it is not obvious that small-molecule antimicrobials act in the same way as natural peptides, and very few data are available on this aspect. Here we combined spectroscopic studies and molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the mechanism of action of two different MASMs. Our results show that, notwithstanding their simple structure, these molecules act just like antimicrobial peptides. They bind to the membrane surface, below the head-groups, and insert their apolar moieties in the core of the bilayer. Like many natural peptides, they cause the formation of defects when they reach a high coverage of the membrane surface. In addition, they cause membrane aggregation, and this property could contribute to their antimicrobial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bortolotti
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - C Troiano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - S Bobone
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - M M Konai
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - C Ghosh
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - G Bocchinfuso
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Y Acharya
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - V Santucci
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - S Bonacorsi
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - C Di Stefano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - J Haldar
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India; School of Advanced Materials, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India.
| | - L Stella
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
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14
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Mao C, Wang Y, Yang Y, Li L, Yuan K, Cao H, Qiu Z, Guo G, Wu J, Peng J. Cec4-Derived Peptide Inhibits Planktonic and Biofilm-Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0240922. [PMID: 36453944 PMCID: PMC9769716 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02409-22] [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: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is part of the normal microbiota that colonizes the skin and mucosal surfaces of human beings. Previous studies suggested that S. epidermidis possessed low virulence, but recent studies confirmed that it can acquire high virulence from Staphylococcus aureus and with the increasing detection of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis. It has become a major pathogen of graft-associated and hospital-acquired infections. In previous studies, we modified the antimicrobial peptide Cec4 (41 amino acids) and obtained the derived peptide C9 (16 amino acids) showing better antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis with an MIC value of 8 μg/mL. The peptide has rapid bactericidal activity without detectable high-level resistance, showing certain inhibition and eradication ability on S. epidermidis biofilms. The damage of cell membrane structures by C9 was observed by scanning emission microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, C9 altered the S. epidermidis cell membrane permeability, depolarization levels, fluidity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and possessed the ability to bind genomic DNA. Analysis of the transcriptional profiles of C9-treated cells revealed changes in genes involved in cell wall and ribosome biosynthesis, membrane protein transport, oxidative stress, and DNA transcription regulation. At the same time, the median lethal dose of C9 in mice was more than 128 mg/kg, and the intraperitoneal administration of 64 mg/kg was less toxic to the liver and kidneys of mice. Furthermore, C9 also showed a certain therapeutic effect on the mouse bacteremia model. In conclusion, C9 may be a candidate drug against S. epidermidis, which has the potential to be further developed as an antibacterial therapeutic agent. IMPORTANCE S. epidermidis is one of the most important pathogens of graft-related infection and hospital-acquired infection. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance, as well as the emergence of bacterial pathogenicity, highlights the need for antimicrobials with new modes of action. Antimicrobial peptides have been extensively studied over the past 30 years as ideal alternatives to antibiotics, and we report here that the derived peptide C9 is characterized by rapid bactericidal and antibiofilm activity, avoiding the development of resistance by acting on multiple nonspecific targets of the cell membrane or cell components. In addition, it has therapeutic potential against S. epidermidis infection in vivo. This study provides a rationale for the further development and application of C9 as an effective candidate antibiotic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengju Mao
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Lu Li
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Kexin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Huijun Cao
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhilang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guo Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jianwei Wu
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Peng
- Key Laboratory of Infectious Immune and Antibody Engineering of Guizhou Province, Cellular Immunotherapy Engineering Research Center of Guizhou Province, School of Biology and Engineering/School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Basic Medical College, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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15
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Shi S, Fan H, Hoernke M. Leaky membrane fusion: an ambivalent effect induced by antimicrobial polycations. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2022; 4:5109-5122. [PMID: 36504745 PMCID: PMC9680940 DOI: 10.1039/d2na00464j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Both antimicrobial peptides and their synthetic mimics are potential alternatives to classical antibiotics. They can induce several membrane perturbations including permeabilization. Especially in model studies, aggregation of vesicles by such polycations is often reported. Here, we show that unintended vesicle aggregation or indeed fusion can cause apparent leakage in model studies that is not possible in most microbes, thus potentially leading to misinterpretations. The interactions of a highly charged and highly selective membrane-active polycation with negatively charged phosphatidylethanolamine/phosphatidylglycerol (PE/PG) vesicles are studied by a combination of biophysical methods. At low polycation concentrations, apparent vesicle aggregation was found to involve exchange of lipids. Upon neutralization of the negatively charged vesicles by the polycation, full fusion and leakage occurred and leaky fusion is suspected. To elucidate the interplay of leakage and fusion, we prevented membrane contacts by decorating the vesicles with PEG-chains. This inhibited fusion and also leakage activity. Leaky fusion is further corroborated by increased leakage with increasing likeliness of vesicle-vesicle contacts. Because of its similar appearance to other leakage mechanisms, leaky fusion is difficult to identify and might be overlooked and more common amongst polycationic membrane-active compounds. Regarding biological activity, leaky fusion needs to be carefully distinguished from other membrane permeabilization mechanisms, as it may be less relevant to bacteria, but potentially relevant for fungi. Furthermore, leaky fusion is an interesting effect that could help in endosomal escape for drug delivery. A comprehensive step-by-step protocol for membrane permeabilization/vesicle leakage using calcein fluorescence lifetime is provided in the ESI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Shi
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität 79104 Freiburg i.Br. Germany
| | - Helen Fan
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto Toronto Canada
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität 79104 Freiburg i.Br. Germany
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16
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Vejzovic D, Iftic A, Ön A, Semeraro EF, Malanovic N. Octenidine's Efficacy: A Matter of Interpretation or the Influence of Experimental Setups? Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:1665. [PMID: 36421309 PMCID: PMC9686575 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11111665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
With its broad antimicrobial spectrum and non-specific mode of action via membrane disruption, any resistance to octenidine (OCT) seems unlikely and has not been observed in clinical settings so far. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of OCT against Escherichia coli and mutants lacking specific lipid head groups which, due to altered membrane properties, might be the root cause for resistance development of membrane-active compounds. Furthermore, we aimed to test its efficacy under different experimental conditions including different solvents for OCT, bacterial concentration and methods for analysis. Our primary goal was to estimate how many OCT molecules are needed to kill one bacterium. We performed susceptibility assays by observing bacterial growth behavior, using a Bioscreen in an analogous manner for every condition. The growth curves were recorded for 20 h at 420-580 nm in presence of different OCT concentrations and were used to assess the inhibitory concentrations (IC100%) for OCT. Bacterial concentrations given in cell numbers were determined, followed by Bioscreen measurement by manual colony counting on agar plates and QUANTOMTM cell staining. This indicated a significant variance between both methods, which influenced IC100% of OCT, especially when used at low doses. The binding capacity of OCT to E. coli was investigated by measuring UV-absorbance of OCT exposed to bacteria and a common thermodynamic framework based on Bioscreen measurements. Results showed that OCT's antimicrobial activity in E. coli is not affected by changes at the membrane level but strongly dependent on experimental settings in respect to solvents and applied bacterial counts. More OCT was required when the active was dissolved in phosphate or Hepes buffers instead of water and when higher bacterial concentration was used. Furthermore, binding studies revealed that 107-108 OCT molecules bind to bacteria, which is necessary for the saturation of the bacterial surface to initiate the killing cascade. Our results clearly demonstrate that in vitro data, depending on the applied materials and the methods for determination of IC100%, can easily be misinterpreted as reduced bacterial susceptibility towards OCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djenana Vejzovic
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Azra Iftic
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Ayse Ön
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Enrico F. Semeraro
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Bio TechMed Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Nermina Malanovic
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Bio TechMed Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
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17
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Ghimire J, Guha S, Nelson BJ, Morici LA, Wimley WC. The Remarkable Innate Resistance of Burkholderia bacteria to Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides: Insights into the Mechanism of AMP Resistance. J Membr Biol 2022; 255:503-511. [PMID: 35435452 PMCID: PMC9576820 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-022-00232-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the genus Burkholderia are remarkably resistant to broad-spectrum, cationic, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). It has been proposed that this innate resistance is related to changes in the outer membrane lipopolysaccharide (OM LPS), including the constitutive, essential modification of outer membrane Lipid A phosphate groups with cationic 4-amino-4-deoxy-arabinose. This modification reduces the overall negative charge on the OM LPS which may change the OM structure and reduce the binding, accumulation, and permeation of cationic AMPs. Similarly, the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can quickly become resistant to many AMPs by multiple mechanisms, frequently, including activation of the arn operon, which leads, transiently, to the same modification of Lipid A. We recently discovered a set of synthetically evolved AMPs that do not invoke any resistance in P. aeruginosa over multiple passages and thus are apparently not inhibited by aminorabinosylation of Lipid A in P. aeruginosa. Here we test these resistance-avoiding peptides, within a set of 18 potent AMPs, against Burkholderia thailandensis. We find that none of the AMPs tested have measurable activity against B. thailandensis. Some were inactive at concentrations as high as 150 μM, despite all having sterilizing activity at ≤ 10 μM against a panel of common, human bacterial pathogens, including P. aeruginosa. We speculate that the constitutive modification of Lipid A in members of the Burkholderia genus is only part of a broader set of modifications that change the architecture of the OM to provide such remarkable levels of resistance to cationic AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenisha Ghimire
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Shantanu Guha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Benjamin J. Nelson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - Lisa A. Morici
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112
| | - William C. Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112,To whom correspondence should be addressed at
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18
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Semeraro EF, Marx L, Mandl J, Letofsky-Papst I, Mayrhofer C, Frewein MPK, Scott HL, Prévost S, Bergler H, Lohner K, Pabst G. Lactoferricins impair the cytosolic membrane of Escherichia coli within a few seconds and accumulate inside the cell. eLife 2022; 11:e72850. [PMID: 35670565 PMCID: PMC9352351 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the real-time response of Escherichia coli to lactoferricin-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) on length scales bridging microscopic cell sizes to nanoscopic lipid packing using millisecond time-resolved synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. Coupling a multiscale scattering data analysis to biophysical assays for peptide partitioning revealed that the AMPs rapidly permeabilize the cytosolic membrane within less than 3 s-much faster than previously considered. Final intracellular AMP concentrations of ∼80-100 mM suggest an efficient obstruction of physiologically important processes as the primary cause of bacterial killing. On the other hand, damage of the cell envelope and leakage occurred also at sublethal peptide concentrations, thus emerging as a collateral effect of AMP activity that does not kill the bacteria. This implies that the impairment of the membrane barrier is a necessary but not sufficient condition for microbial killing by lactoferricins. The most efficient AMP studied exceeds others in both speed of permeabilizing membranes and lowest intracellular peptide concentration needed to inhibit bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico F Semeraro
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Lisa Marx
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Johannes Mandl
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Ilse Letofsky-Papst
- Institute of Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis and Center for Electron Microscopy, Graz University of Technology, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
| | | | - Moritz PK Frewein
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
- Institut Laue-LangevinGrenobleFrance
| | - Haden L Scott
- Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
- Shull Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeUnited States
| | | | - Helmut Bergler
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Karl Lohner
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
| | - Georg Pabst
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI GrazGrazAustria
- BioTechMed GrazGrazAustria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth – University of GrazGrazAustria
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19
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Schefter BR, Nourbakhsh S, Taheri-Araghi S, Ha BY. Modeling Cell Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptides: How Is the Selectivity Influenced by Intracellular Peptide Uptake and Cell Density. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2022; 3:626481. [PMID: 35047907 PMCID: PMC8757749 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2021.626481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are known to attack bacteria selectively over their host cells. Many attempts have been made to use them as a template for designing peptide antibiotics for fighting drug-resistant bacteria. A central concept in this endeavor is “peptide selectivity,” which measures the “quality” of peptides. However, the relevance of selectivity measurements has often been obscured by the cell-density dependence of the selectivity. For instance, the selectivity can be overestimated if the cell density is larger for the host cell. Furthermore, recent experimental studies suggest that peptide trapping in target bacteria magnifies the cell-density dependence of peptide activity. Here, we propose a biophysical model for peptide activity and selectivity, which assists with the correct interpretation of selectivity measurements. The resulting model shows how cell density and peptide trapping in cells influence peptide activity and selectivity: while these effects can alter the selectivity by more than an order of magnitude, peptide trapping works in favor of host cells at high host-cell densities. It can be used to correct selectivity overestimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany R Schefter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Shokoofeh Nourbakhsh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Sattar Taheri-Araghi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States
| | - Bae-Yeun Ha
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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20
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Loffredo MR, Savini F, Bobone S, Casciaro B, Franzyk H, Mangoni ML, Stella L. Inoculum effect of antimicrobial peptides. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2014364118. [PMID: 34021080 PMCID: PMC8166072 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014364118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity of many antibiotics depends on the initial density of cells used in bacterial growth inhibition assays. This phenomenon, termed the inoculum effect, can have important consequences for the therapeutic efficacy of the drugs, because bacterial loads vary by several orders of magnitude in clinically relevant infections. Antimicrobial peptides are a promising class of molecules in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria because they act mainly by perturbing the cell membranes rather than by inhibiting intracellular targets. Here, we report a systematic characterization of the inoculum effect for this class of antibacterial compounds. Minimum inhibitory concentration values were measured for 13 peptides (including all-D enantiomers) and peptidomimetics, covering more than seven orders of magnitude in inoculated cell density. In most cases, the inoculum effect was significant for cell densities above the standard inoculum of 5 × 105 cells/mL, while for lower densities the active concentrations remained essentially constant, with values in the micromolar range. In the case of membrane-active peptides, these data can be rationalized by considering a simple model, taking into account peptide-cell association, and hypothesizing that a threshold number of cell-bound peptide molecules is required in order to cause bacterial killing. The observed effect questions the clinical utility of activity and selectivity determinations performed at a fixed, standardized cell density. A routine evaluation of the dependence of the activity of antimicrobial peptides and peptidomimetics on the inoculum should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Savini
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Bobone
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
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21
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Bellavita R, Falanga A, Buommino E, Merlino F, Casciaro B, Cappiello F, Mangoni ML, Novellino E, Catania MR, Paolillo R, Grieco P, Galdieroa S. Novel temporin L antimicrobial peptides: promoting self-assembling by lipidic tags to tackle superbugs. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2021; 35:1751-1764. [PMID: 32957844 PMCID: PMC7534258 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1819258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of antimicrobial resistance is pushing the search in the discovering of novel antimicrobial molecules to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Self-assembling antimicrobial peptides, as the lipidated peptides, are a novel and promising class of molecules capable of meeting this need. Based on previous work on Temporin L analogs, several new molecules lipidated at the N- or and the C-terminus were synthesised. Our goal is to improve membrane interactions through finely tuning self-assembly to reduce oligomerisation in aqueous solution and enhance self-assembly in bacterial membranes while reducing toxicity against human cells. The results here reported show that the length of the aliphatic moiety is a key factor to control target cell specificity and the oligomeric state of peptides either in aqueous solution or in a membrane-mimicking environment. The results of this study pave the way for the design of novel molecules with enhanced activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Italian Institute of Technology, Rome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Institute Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ettore Novellino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Catania
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Rossella Paolillo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Galdieroa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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22
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Marx L, Semeraro EF, Mandl J, Kremser J, Frewein MP, Malanovic N, Lohner K, Pabst G. Bridging the Antimicrobial Activity of Two Lactoferricin Derivatives in E. coli and Lipid-Only Membranes. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2021; 3:625975. [PMID: 35047906 PMCID: PMC8757871 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2021.625975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We coupled the antimicrobial activity of two well-studied lactoferricin derivatives, LF11-215 and LF11-324, in Escherichia coli and different lipid-only mimics of its cytoplasmic membrane using a common thermodynamic framework for peptide partitioning. In particular, we combined an improved analysis of microdilution assays with ζ-potential measurements, which allowed us to discriminate between the maximum number of surface-adsorbed peptides and peptides fully partitioned into the bacteria. At the same time, we measured the partitioning of the peptides into vesicles composed of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylgylcerol (PG), and cardiolipin (CL) mixtures using tryptophan fluorescence and determined their membrane activity using a dye leakage assay and small-angle X-ray scattering. We found that the vast majority of LF11-215 and LF11-324 readily enter inner bacterial compartments, whereas only 1-5% remain surface bound. We observed comparable membrane binding of both peptides in membrane mimics containing PE and different molar ratios of PG and CL. The peptides' activity caused a concentration-dependent dye leakage in all studied membrane mimics; however, it also led to the formation of large aggregates, part of which contained collapsed multibilayers with sandwiched peptides in the interstitial space between membranes. This effect was least pronounced in pure PG vesicles, requiring also the highest peptide concentration to induce membrane permeabilization. In PE-containing systems, we additionally observed an effective shielding of the fluorescent dyes from leakage even at highest peptide concentrations, suggesting a coupling of the peptide activity to vesicle fusion, being mediated by the intrinsic lipid curvatures of PE and CL. Our results thus show that LF11-215 and LF11-324 effectively target inner bacterial components, while the stored elastic stress makes membranes more vulnerable to peptide translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Marx
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Enrico F. Semeraro
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Johannes Mandl
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Johannes Kremser
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Moritz P. Frewein
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Soft Matter Science and Support Group, Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France
| | - Nermina Malanovic
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Karl Lohner
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Georg Pabst
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth—University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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23
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Mohid SA, Bhunia A. Combining Antimicrobial Peptides with Nanotechnology: An Emerging Field in Theranostics. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2021; 21:413-428. [PMID: 31889488 DOI: 10.2174/1389203721666191231111634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens and their rapid adaptation against new antibiotics is a major challenge for scientists and medical professionals. Different approaches have been taken to combat this problem, which includes rationally designed potent antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and several nanoparticles and quantum dots. AMPs are considered as a new generation of super antibiotics that hold enormous potential to fight against bacterial resistance by the rapidly killing planktonic as well as their biofilm form while keeping low toxicity profile against eukaryotic cells. Various nanoparticles and quantum dots have proved their effectiveness against a vast array of infections and diseases. Conjugation and functionalization of nanoparticles with potentially active antimicrobial peptides have added advantages that widen their applications in the field of drug discovery as well as delivery system including imaging and diagnostics. This article reviews the current progress and implementation of different nanoparticles and quantum dots conjugated antimicrobial peptides in terms of bio-stability, drug delivery, and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Abdul Mohid
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII (M), Kolkata 700054, India
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24
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Lin S, Wade JD, Liu S. De Novo Design of Flavonoid-Based Mimetics of Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides: Discovery, Development, and Applications. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:104-119. [PMID: 33346639 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The alarming rate at which pathogens are developing resistance to conventional antibiotics represents one of the major global challenges to public health care. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms is a major impetus for the discovery and development of new antimicrobials. Nature has, to date, been the source of most of the antibiotics discovered and used, including cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs). CAMPs are key components of the innate immune system that are widely found in humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms and that serve as a first line of defense for the host. The attractive features of CAMPs have led to their recognition as potential new antimicrobials. However, they possess several inherent flaws that limit their clinical application including low stability, poor oral bioavailability, poor in vivo efficacy, and a high production cost. To address these issues, small molecule-based peptidomimetic antimicrobials have been designed to biomimic the structural features and biological function of CAMPs. Plant-derived flavonoids (e.g., xanthones and flavones) are active components in traditional herbal medicines and have been reported to contain a variety of significant pharmacological actions including antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Over the past decade, we have developed a new chemical strategy to design, discover, and develop xanthone- or flavone-based peptidomimetics and have designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated a library of approximately 450 new xanthone or flavone derivatives. The designed, structurally diverse compounds can be generally classified into two subfamilies, namely, peptidic and nonpeptidic amphiphilic xanthone or flavone derivatives. In this Account, we describe our efforts on the design, synthesis, biological property evaluation, and mechanism of action model studies of synthetic mimics of CAMPs. The flavonoid compounds are an important component of these rationally designed mimics because they function as hydrophobic aromatic moieties conjugated with different length lipid moieties, behave like an unnatural hydrophobic residue, and provide a rigid scaffold, with the reduced conformational flexibility more likely to provide an active conformation. The mimics can effectively disrupt the integrity of the bacterial membranes. Our endeavors encompass design principles, chemical synthesis, in vitro screening, structural optimization, extensive structural-activity relationship analysis, and a mechanism of action study through biophysical technologies including NMR spectroscopy techniques and computer dynamics simulations, drug resistance assays, in vivo pharmaceutical kinetics (PK) analyses, and in vivo efficacy evaluations of selected promising compounds against drug-resistant bacteria and fungi. Our major contributions to the discovery and development of flavonoid-based mimics as antimicrobials include effectively addressing several limitations associated with CAMPs and have led to promising compounds with a notable potential for further development as new therapeutic antimicrobial agents for the treatment of drug-resistant bacteria- or fungi-induced infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuimu Lin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, P.R. China
| | - John D. Wade
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Shouping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, P.R. China
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25
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Zhang W, Wu Y, Liu L, Xiao X, Cong Z, Shao N, Qiao Z, Chen K, Liu S, Zhang H, Ji Z, Shao X, Dai Y, He H, Xia J, Fei J, Liu R. The membrane-targeting mechanism of host defense peptides inspiring the design of polypeptide-conjugated gold nanoparticles exhibiting effective antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:5092-5101. [PMID: 34128037 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00533b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are a grand challenge to global medical and health systems. Therefore, it is urgent to develop versatile antibacterial strategies that can combat bacterial resistance without displaying toxicity. Here, we synthesize antibacterial polypeptide-conjugated gold nanoparticles that exhibit potent antibacterial activities against clinically isolated multiple drug resistance Gram-positive bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and excellent in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility. The antibacterial mechanism study indicates that over-production of reactive oxygen species results in the killing of bacteria. The overall antibacterial performance of these polypeptide-conjugated gold nanoparticles and the convenient synthesis of these polypeptides via lithium hexamethyldisilazide-initiated fast ring-opening polymerization on α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride imply the potential application of this strategy in treating bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Yueming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Longqiang Liu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Ximian Xiao
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zihao Cong
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Ning Shao
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhongqian Qiao
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kang Chen
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shiqi Liu
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Haodong Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhemin Ji
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiaoyan Shao
- Shanghai Ruijin Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai 200023, China
| | - Yidong Dai
- Shanghai Ruijin Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai 200023, China
| | - Hongyan He
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiang Xia
- Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jian Fei
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Runhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. and Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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26
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Bechinger B, Juhl DW, Glattard E, Aisenbrey C. Revealing the Mechanisms of Synergistic Action of Two Magainin Antimicrobial Peptides. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2020; 2:615494. [PMID: 35047895 PMCID: PMC8757784 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2020.615494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of peptide-lipid and peptide-peptide interactions as well as their topology and dynamics using biophysical and structural approaches have changed our view how antimicrobial peptides work and function. It has become obvious that both the peptides and the lipids arrange in soft supramolecular arrangements which are highly dynamic and able to change and mutually adapt their conformation, membrane penetration, and detailed morphology. This can occur on a local and a global level. This review focuses on cationic amphipathic peptides of the magainin family which were studied extensively by biophysical approaches. They are found intercalated at the membrane interface where they cause membrane thinning and ultimately lysis. Interestingly, mixtures of two of those peptides namely magainin 2 and PGLa which occur naturally as a cocktail in the frog skin exhibit synergistic enhancement of antimicrobial activities when investigated together in antimicrobial assays but also in biophysical experiments with model membranes. Detailed dose-response curves, presented here for the first time, show a cooperative behavior for the individual peptides which is much increased when PGLa and magainin are added as equimolar mixture. This has important consequences for their bacterial killing activities and resistance development. In membranes that carry unsaturations both peptides align parallel to the membrane surface where they have been shown to arrange into mesophases involving the peptides and the lipids. This supramolecular structuration comes along with much-increased membrane affinities for the peptide mixture. Because this synergism is most pronounced in membranes representing the bacterial lipid composition it can potentially be used to increase the therapeutic window of pharmaceutical formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burkhard Bechinger
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Dennis Wilkens Juhl
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Elise Glattard
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Christopher Aisenbrey
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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27
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Pandit G, Chowdhury N, Abdul Mohid S, Bidkar AP, Bhunia A, Chatterjee S. Effect of Secondary Structure and Side Chain Length of Hydrophobic Amino Acid Residues on the Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicity of 14-Residue-Long de novo AMPs. ChemMedChem 2020; 16:355-367. [PMID: 33026188 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Herein we report the efficacy and toxicity of three de novo designed cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) LL-14, VV-14 and ββ-14, where side chains of the hydrophobic amino acids were reduced gradually. The AMPs showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against three pathogens from the ESKAPE group and two fungal strains. This study showed that side chains which are either too long or too short increase toxicity and lower antimicrobial activity, respectively. VV-14 was found to be non-cytotoxic and highly potent under physiological salt concentrations against several pathogens, especially Salmonella typhi TY2. These AMPs acted via membrane deformation, depolarization, and lysis. The activity of the AMPs is related to their ability to take on amphipathic helical conformations in the presence of microbial membrane mimics. Among AMPs with the same charge, hydrophobic interactions between the side chains of the residues with cell membrane lipids determine their antimicrobial potency and cytotoxicity. Strikingly, an optimum hydrophobic interaction is the crux of generating highly potent non-cytotoxic AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Pandit
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | | | - Sk Abdul Mohid
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Anil P Bidkar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
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28
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Sancho-Vaello E, Gil-Carton D, François P, Bonetti EJ, Kreir M, Pothula KR, Kleinekathöfer U, Zeth K. The structure of the antimicrobial human cathelicidin LL-37 shows oligomerization and channel formation in the presence of membrane mimics. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17356. [PMID: 33060695 PMCID: PMC7562864 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74401-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cathelicidin LL-37 serves a critical role in the innate immune system defending bacterial infections. LL-37 can interact with molecules of the cell wall and perforate cytoplasmic membranes resulting in bacterial cell death. To test the interactions of LL-37 and bacterial cell wall components we crystallized LL-37 in the presence of detergents and obtained the structure of a narrow tetrameric channel with a strongly charged core. The formation of a tetramer was further studied by cross-linking in the presence of detergents and lipids. Using planar lipid membranes a small but defined conductivity of this channel could be demonstrated. Molecular dynamic simulations underline the stability of this channel in membranes and demonstrate pathways for the passage of water molecules. Time lapse studies of E. coli cells treated with LL-37 show membrane discontinuities in the outer membrane followed by cell wall damage and cell death. Collectively, our results open a venue to the understanding of a novel AMP killing mechanism and allows the rational design of LL-37 derivatives with enhanced bactericidal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enea Sancho-Vaello
- Unidad de Biofisica, Centro Mixto Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.,Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - David Gil-Carton
- Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia Edificio 800, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Patrice François
- Genomic Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Specialities, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Eve-Julie Bonetti
- Genomic Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Specialities, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Kreir
- Nanion Technologies GmbH, Gabrielenstraße 9, 80636, Munich, Germany.,Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen R&D, Nonclinical Safety, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Karunakar Reddy Pothula
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kleinekathöfer
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759, Bremen, Germany
| | - Kornelius Zeth
- Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
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29
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Juhl DW, Glattard E, Lointier M, Bampilis P, Bechinger B. The Reversible Non-covalent Aggregation Into Fibers of PGLa and Magainin 2 Preserves Their Antimicrobial Activity and Synergism. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:526459. [PMID: 33102247 PMCID: PMC7554302 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.526459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Magainin 2 and PGLa are antimicrobial peptides found together in frog skin secretions. When added as a mixture they show an order of magnitude increase in antibacterial activity and in model membrane permeation assays. Here we demonstrate that both peptides can form fibers with beta-sheet/turn signature in ATR-FTIR- and CD-spectroscopic analyses, but with different morphologies in EM images. Whereas, fiber formation results in acute reduction of the antimicrobial activity of the individual peptides, the synergistic enhancement of activity remains for the equimolar mixture of PGLa and magainin 2 also after fibril formation. The biological significance and potential applications of such supramolecular aggregates are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Wilkens Juhl
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Elise Glattard
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Morane Lointier
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Panos Bampilis
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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30
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Savini F, Loffredo M, Troiano C, Bobone S, Malanovic N, Eichmann T, Caprio L, Canale V, Park Y, Mangoni M, Stella L. Binding of an antimicrobial peptide to bacterial cells: Interaction with different species, strains and cellular components. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183291. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Mercer DK, Torres MDT, Duay SS, Lovie E, Simpson L, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, de la Fuente-Nunez C, O'Neil DA, Angeles-Boza AM. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Antimicrobial Peptides to Better Predict Efficacy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:326. [PMID: 32733816 PMCID: PMC7358464 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) as potential therapeutics, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) stands as an essential part of the process in identification and optimisation of candidate AMP. Standard methods for AST, developed almost 60 years ago for testing conventional antibiotics, are not necessarily fit for purpose when it comes to determining the susceptibility of microorganisms to AMP. Without careful consideration of the parameters comprising AST there is a risk of failing to identify novel antimicrobials at a time when antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is leading the planet toward a post-antibiotic era. More physiologically/clinically relevant AST will allow better determination of the preclinical activity of drug candidates and allow the identification of lead compounds. An important consideration is the efficacy of AMP in biological matrices replicating sites of infection, e.g., blood/plasma/serum, lung bronchiolar lavage fluid/sputum, urine, biofilms, etc., as this will likely be more predictive of clinical efficacy. Additionally, specific AST for different target microorganisms may help to better predict efficacy of AMP in specific infections. In this manuscript, we describe what we believe are the key considerations for AST of AMP and hope that this information can better guide the preclinical development of AMP toward becoming a new generation of urgently needed antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelo D. T. Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Institute for Computational Science, and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Searle S. Duay
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Emma Lovie
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Institute for Computational Science, and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Alfredo M. Angeles-Boza
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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Analogues of a Cyclic Antimicrobial Peptide with a Flexible Linker Show Promising Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9070366. [PMID: 32629881 PMCID: PMC7399811 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9070366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria is becoming a major health concern. New strategies to combat especially Gram-negative pathogens are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) found in all multicellular organisms act as a first line of defense in immunity. In recent years, AMPs have attracted increasing attention as potential antibiotics. Naturally occurring antimicrobial cyclic lipopeptides include colistin and daptomycin, both of which contain a flexible linker. We previously reported a cyclic AMP BSI-9 cyclo(Lys-Nal-Lys-Lys-Bip-O2Oc-Nal-Lys-Asn) containing a flexible linker, with a broad spectrum of activity against bacterial strains and low hemolytic activity. In this study, improvement of the antimicrobial activity of BSI-9, against the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) strains of S. aureus, E. coli, A. baumannii, and P. aeruginosa was examined. This led to synthesis of eighteen peptide analogues of BSI-9, produced in four individual stages, with a different focus in each stage; cyclization point, hydrophobicity, cationic side-chain length, and combinations of the last two. Specifically the modified compound 11, exhibited improved activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC of 4 µg/mL and 8 µg/mL, respectively, compared to the original BSI-9, which had an MIC of 16–32 µg/mL.
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Li J, Fernández-Millán P, Boix E. Synergism between Host Defence Peptides and Antibiotics Against Bacterial Infections. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:1238-1263. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200303122626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Background:Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to conventional antibiotics is becoming one of the main global health threats and novel alternative strategies are urging. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), once forgotten, are coming back into the scene as promising tools to overcome bacterial resistance. Recent findings have attracted attention to the potentiality of AMPs to work as antibiotic adjuvants.Methods:In this review, we have tried to collect the currently available information on the mechanism of action of AMPs in synergy with other antimicrobial agents. In particular, we have focused on the mechanisms of action that mediate the inhibition of the emergence of bacterial resistance by AMPs.Results and Conclusion:We find in the literature many examples where AMPs can significantly reduce the antibiotic effective concentration. Mainly, the peptides work at the bacterial cell wall and thereby facilitate the drug access to its intracellular target. Complementarily, AMPs can also contribute to permeate the exopolysaccharide layer of biofilm communities, or even prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm growth. Secondly, we find other peptides that can directly block the emergence of bacterial resistance mechanisms or interfere with the community quorum-sensing systems. Interestingly, the effective peptide concentrations for adjuvant activity and inhibition of bacterial resistance are much lower than the required for direct antimicrobial action. Finally, many AMPs expressed by innate immune cells are endowed with immunomodulatory properties and can participate in the host response against infection. Recent studies in animal models confirm that AMPs work as adjuvants at non-toxic concentrations and can be safely administrated for novel combined chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, Spain
| | - Pablo Fernández-Millán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, Spain
| | - Ester Boix
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, Spain
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Malanovic N, Marx L, Blondelle SE, Pabst G, Semeraro EF. Experimental concepts for linking the biological activities of antimicrobial peptides to their molecular modes of action. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183275. [PMID: 32173291 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The search for novel compounds to combat multi-resistant bacterial infections includes exploring the potency of antimicrobial peptides and derivatives thereof. Complementary to high-throughput screening techniques, biophysical and biochemical studies of the biological activity of these compounds enable deep insight, which can be exploited in designing antimicrobial peptides with improved efficacy. This approach requires the combination of several techniques to study the effect of such peptides on both bacterial cells and simple mimics of their cell envelope, such as lipid-only vesicles. These efforts carry the challenge of bridging results across techniques and sample systems, including the proper choice of membrane mimics. This review describes some important concepts toward the development of potent antimicrobial peptides and how they translate to frequently applied experimental techniques, along with an outline of the biophysics pertaining to the killing mechanism of antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nermina Malanovic
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, Graz, Austria.
| | - Lisa Marx
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Georg Pabst
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, Graz, Austria
| | - Enrico F Semeraro
- University of Graz, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, Graz, Austria
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Pandit G, Biswas K, Ghosh S, Debnath S, Bidkar AP, Satpati P, Bhunia A, Chatterjee S. Rationally designed antimicrobial peptides: Insight into the mechanism of eleven residue peptides against microbial infections. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183177. [PMID: 31954105 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The widespread abuse of antibiotics has led to the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a replacement for the existing conventional therapeutic agents for combating microbial infections. The broad-spectrum activity and the resilient nature of AMPs has mainly aggrandized their utilization. Here, we report the design of non-toxic, non-hemolytic and salt tolerant undecapeptides (AMP21-24), derived by modification of a peptide P5 (NH2-LRWLRRLCONH2) reported earlier by our group. Our results depict that the designed peptides show potency against several bacterial as well as fungal strains. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy in combination with molecular dynamic (MD) simulations confirm that the peptides are unstructured. Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence quenching as well as interaction studies using isothermal calorimetry (ITC) of these peptides in the presence of biological microbial membrane mimics establish the strong microbial membrane affinity of these AMPs. Membrane permeabilization assay and cytoplasmic membrane depolarization studies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans in the presence of AMPs also hint towards the AMP-membrane interactions. Leakage of calcein dye from membrane mimic liposomes, live cell NMR and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) studies suggest that the AMPs may be primarily involved in membrane perturbation leading to release of intracellular substances resulting in subsequent microbial cell death. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) shows localization of the peptides throughout the cell, indicating the possibility of secondary mode of actions. Electrostatic interactions seem to govern the preferential binding of the AMPs to the microbial membranes in comparison to the mammalian membranes as seen from the MD simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Pandit
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Karishma Biswas
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT scheme, VII (M), Kolkata, India
| | - Suvankar Ghosh
- Department of Biosciences and bioengineering, IIT Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Swapna Debnath
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Anil P Bidkar
- Department of Biosciences and bioengineering, IIT Guwahati, Guwahati, India
| | - Priyadarshi Satpati
- Department of Biosciences and bioengineering, IIT Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
| | - Anirban Bhunia
- Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT scheme, VII (M), Kolkata, India.
| | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
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Stulz A, Vogt A, Saar JS, Akil L, Lienkamp K, Hoernke M. Quantified Membrane Permeabilization Indicates the Lipid Selectivity of Membrane-Active Antimicrobials. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:16366-16376. [PMID: 31710807 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Most antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their synthetic mimics (SMAMPs) are thought to act by permeabilizing cell membranes. For antimicrobial therapy, selectivity for pathogens over mammalian cells is a key requirement. Understanding membrane selectivity is thus essential for designing AMPs and SMAMPs to complement classical antibiotics in the future. This study focuses on membrane permeabilization induced by SMAMPs and their selectivity for membranes with different lipid compositions. We measure release and fluorescence lifetime of a self-quenching dye in lipid vesicles. Apart from the dose-response, we quantify the strength of individual leakage events, and, employing cumulative kinetics, categorize permeabilization behavior. We propose that differing selectivities in a series of SMAMPs arise from a combination of the effect of the antimicrobial agent and the susceptibility of the membrane (with a given lipid composition) for certain types of leakage behavior. The unselective and hemolytic SMAMP is found to act mainly by the asymmetry stress mechanism, mediated by hydrophobic insertion of SMAMPs into lipid layers. The more selective SMAMPs induced leakage events occurring stochastically over several hours. Lipid intrinsic properties might additionally amplify the efficiency of leakage events. Leakage behavior changes with both the design of the SMAMP and the lipid composition of the membrane. Understanding how leakage behavior contributes to the selectivity and activity of antimicrobial agents will aid the design and screening of antimicrobials. An understanding of the underlying processes facilitates the comparison of membrane permeabilization across in vitro and in vivo assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Stulz
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
| | - Annika Vogt
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry , Reutlingen University , Reutlingen , Germany
| | - Julia Selina Saar
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) and Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT) , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
| | - Larissa Akil
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
| | - Karen Lienkamp
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) and Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT) , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
| | - Maria Hoernke
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies , Albert-Ludwigs-Universität , Freiburg i.Br ., Germany
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37
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Nourbakhsh S, Taheri-Araghi S, Ha BY. Toward building a physical model for membrane selectivity of antimicrobial peptides: making a quantitative sense of the selectivity. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:7509-7526. [PMID: 31528961 PMCID: PMC6800138 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00930b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are naturally-occurring peptide antibiotics. AMPs are typically cationic and utilize their electrostatic interactions with the bacterial membrane to selectively attack bacteria. The way they work has inspired a vigorous search for optimized peptides for fighting resistant bacteria. Here, we present a physical model of membrane selectivity of AMPs. The challenge for theoretical modeling of membrane-peptide systems arises from the simultaneous presence of several competing effects, including lipid demixing and peptide-peptide interactions on the membrane surface. We first examine critically a number of models of peptide-membrane interactions and map out one, which incorporates adequately these competing effects as well as the geometry of various regions in membranes, occupied by bound peptides, anionic lipids within the interaction range of each peptide, and those outside this range. This effort leads to a systematically-improved model for peptide selectivity. Using the model, we relate peptide's intrinsic (Ccell-independent) selectivity to an apparent, Ccell-dependent one, and clarify the relative roles of peptide parameters and cell densities in determining their selectivity. This relationship suggests that the selectivity is more sensitive to peptide parameters at low cell densities; as a result, the optimal peptide charge, at which the selectivity is maximized, increases with the cell density in such a manner that this notion becomes less meaningful at high cell densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shokoofeh Nourbakhsh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | | | - Bae-Yeun Ha
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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38
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Haney EF, Straus SK, Hancock REW. Reassessing the Host Defense Peptide Landscape. Front Chem 2019; 7:43. [PMID: 30778385 PMCID: PMC6369191 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Current research has demonstrated that small cationic amphipathic peptides have strong potential not only as antimicrobials, but also as antibiofilm agents, immune modulators, and anti-inflammatories. Although traditionally termed antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) these additional roles have prompted a shift in terminology to use the broader term host defense peptides (HDPs) to capture the multi-functional nature of these molecules. In this review, we critically examined the role of AMPs and HDPs in infectious diseases and inflammation. It is generally accepted that HDPs are multi-faceted mediators of a wide range of biological processes, with individual activities dependent on their polypeptide sequence. In this context, we explore the concept of chemical space as it applies to HDPs and hypothesize that the various functions and activities of this class of molecule exist on independent but overlapping activity landscapes. Finally, we outline several emerging functions and roles of HDPs and highlight how an improved understanding of these processes can potentially be leveraged to more fully realize the therapeutic promise of HDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan F Haney
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Suzana K Straus
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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39
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Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptides: A Complex Interplay of Multiple Equilibria. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1117:175-214. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-3588-4_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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40
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Wimley WC. Application of Synthetic Molecular Evolution to the Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1117:241-255. [PMID: 30980361 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-3588-4_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite long-standing promise and many known examples, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have failed, with few exceptions, to significantly impact human medicine. Impediments to the systemic activity of AMPs include proteolysis, host cell interactions, and serum protein binding, factors that are not often considered in the early stages of AMP development. Here we discuss how synthetic molecular evolution, iterative cycles of library design, and physiologically relevant screening can be used to evolve AMPs that do not have these impediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
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41
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Gide M, Nimmagadda A, Su M, Wang M, Teng P, Li C, Gao R, Xu H, Li Q, Cai J. Nano-Sized Lipidated Dendrimers as Potent and Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Agents. Macromol Rapid Commun 2018; 39:e1800622. [PMID: 30408252 DOI: 10.1002/marc.201800622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in the development of antimicrobial polymers including dendrimers due to the ease of synthesis and low manufacturing cost compared to host defense peptides (HDPs). Herein, a new class of nanomaterials-lipidated amphiphilic dendrimers-is presented that mimic the antibacterial mechanism of HDPs by compromising bacterial cell membranes. Unlike conventional dendrimers that are prepared generation by generation symmetrically with molecular weight distribution, these lipidated dendrimers are prepared on the solid phase with a hanging lipid tail and precisely controlled structure. It is shown through rational design that these lipidated dendrimers display potent and selective antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains. In addition to antibacterial activity against planktonic bacteria, these dendrimers are also shown to inhibit bacterial biofilms effectively. This class of dendrimers as a new class of biomaterials may lead to a useful generation of antibiotic agents with practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mussie Gide
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Alekhya Nimmagadda
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Ma Su
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Minghui Wang
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Peng Teng
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Chunpu Li
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.,Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Ruixuan Gao
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Hai Xu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, South Lushan Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, P. R. China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- M. Gide, Dr. A. Nimmagadda, M. Su, M. Wang, Dr. P. Teng, C. Li, R. Gao, Dr. J. Cai, Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
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42
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Mishra B, Wang X, Lushnikova T, Zhang Y, Golla RM, Narayana JL, Wang C, McGuire TR, Wang G. Antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer activities and structural bioinformatics analysis of six naturally occurring temporins. Peptides 2018; 106:9-20. [PMID: 29842923 PMCID: PMC6063800 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are a special class of natural products with potential applications as novel therapeutics. This study focuses on six temporins (four with no activity data and two as positive controls). Using synthetic peptides, we report antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities of temporins-CPa, CPb, 1Ga, 1Oc, 1Ola, and 1SPa. While temporin-1Ga and temporin-1OLa showed higher antifungal and anticancer activity, most of these peptides were active primarily against Gram-positive bacteria. Temporin-1OLa, with the highest cell selectivity index, could preferentially kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), consistent with a reduced hemolysis in the presence of bacteria. Mechanistically, temporin-1OLa rapidly killed MRSA by damaging bacterial membranes. Using micelles as a membrane-mimetic model, we determined the three-dimensional structure of temporin-1OLa by NMR spectroscopy. The peptide adopted a two-domain structure where a hydrophobic patch is followed by a classic amphipathic helix covering residues P3-I12. Such a structure is responsible for anti-biofilm ability in vitro and in vivo protection of wax moths Galleria mellonella from staphylococcal infection. Finally, our bioinformatic analysis leads to a classification of temporins into six types and confers significance to this NMR structure since temporin-1OLa shares a sequence model with 62% of temporins. Collectively, our results indicate the potential of temporin-1OLa as a new anti-MRSA compound, which shows an even better anti-biofilm capability in combination with linezolid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Mishra
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Xiuqing Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA; Department of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia, China
| | - Tamara Lushnikova
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Yingxia Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA; Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, Hainan, China
| | - Radha M Golla
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Jayaram Lakshmaiah Narayana
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA
| | - Chunfeng Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA; The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 Mianfang Road, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China
| | - Timothy R McGuire
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6025, USA
| | - Guangshun Wang
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, USA.
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43
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Hollmann A, Martinez M, Maturana P, Semorile LC, Maffia PC. Antimicrobial Peptides: Interaction With Model and Biological Membranes and Synergism With Chemical Antibiotics. Front Chem 2018; 6:204. [PMID: 29922648 PMCID: PMC5996110 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising novel antibiotics since they have shown antimicrobial activity against a wide range of bacterial species, including multiresistant bacteria; however, toxicity is the major barrier to convert antimicrobial peptides into active drugs. A profound and proper understanding of the complex interactions between these peptides and biological membranes using biophysical tools and model membranes seems to be a key factor in the race to develop a suitable antimicrobial peptide therapy for clinical use. In the search for such therapy, different combined approaches with conventional antibiotics have been evaluated in recent years and demonstrated to improve the therapeutic potential of AMPs. Some of these approaches have revealed promising additive or synergistic activity between AMPs and chemical antibiotics. This review will give an insight into the possibilities that physicochemical tools can give in the AMPs research and also address the state of the art on the current promising combined therapies between AMPs and conventional antibiotics, which appear to be a plausible future opportunity for AMPs treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Hollmann
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Basic and Applied Microbiology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.,Centro de Investigación en Biofísica Aplicada y Alimentos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and National University of Santiago del Estero, Santiago del Estero, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Melina Martinez
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Basic and Applied Microbiology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia Maturana
- Centro de Investigación en Biofísica Aplicada y Alimentos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and National University of Santiago del Estero, Santiago del Estero, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Liliana C Semorile
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Basic and Applied Microbiology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina
| | - Paulo C Maffia
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Basic and Applied Microbiology, National University of Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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44
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Savini F, Bobone S, Roversi D, Mangoni ML, Stella L. From liposomes to cells: Filling the gap between physicochemical and microbiological studies of the activity and selectivity of host‐defense peptides. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Savini
- Department of Chemical Science and TechnologiesUniversity of Rome Tor VergataRome00133 Italy
| | - Sara Bobone
- Department of Chemical Science and TechnologiesUniversity of Rome Tor VergataRome00133 Italy
| | - Daniela Roversi
- Department of Chemical Science and TechnologiesUniversity of Rome Tor VergataRome00133 Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Laboratory affiliated to Pasteur Italia‐Fondazione Cenci BolognettiSapienza University of RomeRome, via degli Apuli9‐00185 Italy
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Department of Chemical Science and TechnologiesUniversity of Rome Tor VergataRome00133 Italy
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45
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Snoussi M, Talledo JP, Del Rosario NA, Mohammadi S, Ha BY, Košmrlj A, Taheri-Araghi S. Heterogeneous absorption of antimicrobial peptide LL37 in Escherichia coli cells enhances population survivability. eLife 2018; 7:38174. [PMID: 30560784 PMCID: PMC6298785 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are broad spectrum antibiotics that selectively target bacteria. Here we investigate the activity of human AMP LL37 against Escherichia coli by integrating quantitative, population and single-cell level experiments with theoretical modeling. We observe an unexpected, rapid absorption and retention of a large number of LL37 peptides by E. coli cells upon the inhibition of their growth, which increases population survivability. This transition occurs more likely in the late stage of cell division cycles. Cultures with high cell density exhibit two distinct subpopulations: a non-growing population that absorb peptides and a growing population that survive owing to the sequestration of the AMPs by others. A mathematical model based on this binary picture reproduces the rather surprising observations, including the increase of the minimum inhibitory concentration with cell density (even in dilute cultures) and the extensive lag in growth introduced by sub-lethal dosages of LL37 peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Snoussi
- Department of BiologyCalifornia State UniversityNorthridgeUnited States
| | - John Paul Talledo
- Department of PhysicsCalifornia State UniversityNorthridgeUnited States
| | | | - Salimeh Mohammadi
- Department of PhysicsCalifornia State UniversityNorthridgeUnited States
| | - Bae-Yeun Ha
- Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooCanada
| | - Andrej Košmrlj
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States,Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of MaterialsPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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46
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Loffredo MR, Ghosh A, Harmouche N, Casciaro B, Luca V, Bortolotti A, Cappiello F, Stella L, Bhunia A, Bechinger B, Mangoni ML. Membrane perturbing activities and structural properties of the frog-skin derived peptide Esculentin-1a(1-21)NH2 and its Diastereomer Esc(1-21)-1c: Correlation with their antipseudomonal and cytotoxic activity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:2327-2339. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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47
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Starr CG, Wimley WC. Antimicrobial peptides are degraded by the cytosolic proteases of human erythrocytes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:2319-2326. [PMID: 28912099 PMCID: PMC5659893 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Well-studied and promising antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), with potent bactericidal activity, in vitro, have yet to have a significant impact in human medicine beyond topical applications. We previously showed that interactions of AMPs with concentrated human erythrocytes inhibit many of them, and suggested that screens and assays should be done in their presence to mimic host cell inhibition. Here, we use AMPs to characterize the activity of proteases that are associated with human erythrocytes. The representative AMPs, ARVA and indolicidin, are degraded significantly during incubation with dilute, washed erythrocytes and yield a variety of degradation products, suggesting significant exopeptidase activity. Comparison of these fragments with those obtained from incubation with serum shows that the proteolytic activity associated with cells yields unique products that are not explained by residual serum proteases. By separately testing the membrane and cytosolic fractions, we show that erythrocyte proteolytic activity is found only in the cytosol. Finally, we incubated a diverse cross-section of natural and synthetic linear AMPs with human erythrocyte cytosolic extracts and observed degradation of all of them. These results show that, in addition to cell binding, proteolysis can also contribute significantly to host cell inhibition of AMPs in vitro and possibly also in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles G Starr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - William C Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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48
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Farrotti A, Conflitti P, Srivastava S, Ghosh JK, Palleschi A, Stella L, Bocchinfuso G. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Host Defense Peptide Temporin L and Its Q3K Derivative: An Atomic Level View from Aggregation in Water to Bilayer Perturbation. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22071235. [PMID: 28737669 PMCID: PMC6152314 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22071235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporin L (TempL) is a 13 residue Host Defense Peptide (HDP) isolated from the skin of frogs. It has a strong affinity for lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which is related to its high activity against Gram-negative bacteria and also to its strong tendency to neutralize the pro-inflammatory response caused by LPS release from inactivated bacteria. A designed analog with the Q3K substitution shows an enhancement in both these activities. In the present paper, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to investigate the origin of these improved properties. To this end, we have studied the behavior of the peptides both in water solution and in the presence of LPS lipid-A bilayers, demonstrating that the main effect through which the Q3K substitution improves the peptide activities is the destabilization of peptide aggregates in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Farrotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Paolo Conflitti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Saurabh Srivastava
- Molecular and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.
| | - Jimut Kanti Ghosh
- Molecular and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.
| | - Antonio Palleschi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Stella
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
| | - Gianfranco Bocchinfuso
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy.
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