1
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Taheri-Araghi S. Synergistic action of antimicrobial peptides and antibiotics: current understanding and future directions. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1390765. [PMID: 39144233 PMCID: PMC11322369 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1390765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global problem that requires innovative therapeutic approaches and strategies for administering antibiotics. One promising approach is combination therapy, in which two or more drugs are combined to combat an infection. Along this line, the combination of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with conventional antibiotics has gained attention mainly due to the complementary mechanisms of action of AMPs and conventional antibiotics. In this article, we review both in vitro and in vivo studies that explore the synergy between AMPs and antibiotics. We highlight several mechanisms through which synergy is observed in in vitro experiments, including increasing membrane permeability, disrupting biofilms, directly potentiating antibiotic efficacy, and inhibiting resistance development. Moreover, in vivo studies reveal additional mechanisms such as enhanced/modulated immune responses, reduced inflammation, and improved tissue regeneration. Together, the current literature demonstrates that AMP-antibiotic combinations can substantially enhance efficacy of antibiotic therapies, including therapies against resistant bacteria, which represents a valuable enhancement to current antimicrobial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sattar Taheri-Araghi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States
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2
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Syryamina VN, Aisenbrey C, Kardash M, Dzuba SA, Bechinger B. Self-assembly of spin-labeled antimicrobial peptides magainin 2 and PGLa in lipid bilayers. Biophys Chem 2024; 310:107251. [PMID: 38678820 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2024.107251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The cationic antimicrobial peptides PGLa and magainin 2 (Mag2) are known for their antimicrobial activity and synergistic enhancement in antimicrobial and membrane leakage assays. Further use of peptides in combinatory therapy requires knowledge of the mechanisms of action of both individual peptides and their mixtures. Here, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), double electron-electron resonance (DEER, also known as PELDOR) and electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopies were applied to study self-assembly and localization of spin-labeled PGLa and Mag2 in POPE/POPG membranes with a wide range of peptide/lipid ratios (P/L) from ∼1/1500 to 1/50. EPR and DEER data showed that both peptides tend to organize in clusters, which occurs already at the lowest peptide/lipid molar ratio of 1/1500 (0.067 mol%). For individual peptides, these clusters are quite dense with intermolecular distances of the order of ∼2 nm. In the presence of a synergistic peptide partner, these homo-clusters are transformed into lipid-diluted hetero-clusters. These clusters are characterized by a local surface density that is several times higher than expected from a random distribution. ESEEM data indicate a slightly different insertion depth of peptides in hetero-clusters when compared to homo-clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria N Syryamina
- Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
| | - Christopher Aisenbrey
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Strasbourg Institute of Chemistry, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Maria Kardash
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Strasbourg Institute of Chemistry, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Sergei A Dzuba
- Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation; Department of Physics, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russian Federation.
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Strasbourg Institute of Chemistry, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, 67000 Strasbourg, France; Institut Universitaire de France, 75231 Paris, France.
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3
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Guo L, Tang M, Luo S, Zhou X. Screening and Functional Analyses of Novel Cecropins from Insect Transcriptome. INSECTS 2023; 14:794. [PMID: 37887806 PMCID: PMC10607850 DOI: 10.3390/insects14100794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a significant and growing threat to global public health. However, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown promise as they exhibit a broad spectrum of antibacterial activities with low potential for resistance development. Insects, which inhabit a wide range of environments and are incredibly diverse, remain largely unexplored as a source of novel AMPs. To address this, we conducted a screening of the representative transcriptomes from the 1000 Insect Transcriptome Evolution (1KITE) dataset, focusing on the homologous reference genes of Cecropins, the first identified AMPs in insects known for its high efficiency. Our analysis identified 108 Cecropin genes from 105 insect transcriptomes, covering all major hexapod lineages. We validated the gene sequences and synthesized mature peptides for three identified Cecropin genes. Through minimal inhibition concentration and agar diffusion assays, we confirmed that these peptides exhibited antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative bacteria. Similar to the known Cecropin, the three Cecropins adopted an alpha-helical conformation in membrane-like environments, efficiently disrupting bacterial membranes through permeabilization. Importantly, none of the three Cecropins demonstrated cytotoxicity in erythrocyte hemolysis tests, suggesting their safety in real-world applications. Overall, this newly developed methodology provides a high-throughput bioinformatic pipeline for the discovery of AMP, taking advantage of the expanding genomic resources available for diverse organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Guo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (L.G.); (M.T.)
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Min Tang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (L.G.); (M.T.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Shiqi Luo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (L.G.); (M.T.)
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (L.G.); (M.T.)
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya 572000, China
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4
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Mhlongo JT, Waddad AY, Albericio F, de la Torre BG. Antimicrobial Peptide Synergies for Fighting Infectious Diseases. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300472. [PMID: 37407512 PMCID: PMC10502873 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential elements of thehost defense system. Characterized by heterogenous structures and broad-spectrumaction, they are promising candidates for combating multidrug resistance. Thecombined use of AMPs with other antimicrobial agents provides a new arsenal ofdrugs with synergistic action, thereby overcoming the drawback of monotherapiesduring infections. AMPs kill microbes via pore formation, thus inhibitingintracellular functions. This mechanism of action by AMPs is an advantage overantibiotics as it hinders the development of drug resistance. The synergisticeffect of AMPs will allow the repurposing of conventional antimicrobials andenhance their clinical outcomes, reduce toxicity, and, most significantly,prevent the development of resistance. In this review, various synergies ofAMPs with antimicrobials and miscellaneous agents are discussed. The effect ofstructural diversity and chemical modification on AMP properties is firstaddressed and then different combinations that can lead to synergistic action,whether this combination is between AMPs and antimicrobials, or AMPs andmiscellaneous compounds, are attended. This review can serve as guidance whenredesigning and repurposing the use of AMPs in combination with other antimicrobialagents for enhanced clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T. Mhlongo
- KwaZulu‐Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP)School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical SciencesCollege of Health SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurban4041South Africa
- Peptide Science LaboratorySchool of Chemistry and PhysicsUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalWestvilleDurban4000South Africa
| | - Ayman Y. Waddad
- Peptide Science LaboratorySchool of Chemistry and PhysicsUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalWestvilleDurban4000South Africa
| | - Fernando Albericio
- Peptide Science LaboratorySchool of Chemistry and PhysicsUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalWestvilleDurban4000South Africa
- CIBER‐BBNNetworking Centre on BioengineeringBiomaterials and Nanomedicineand Department of Organic ChemistryUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelona08028Spain
| | - Beatriz G. de la Torre
- KwaZulu‐Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP)School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical SciencesCollege of Health SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurban4041South Africa
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5
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Ioannou P, Baliou S, Kofteridis DP. Antimicrobial Peptides in Infectious Diseases and Beyond-A Narrative Review. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1651. [PMID: 37629508 PMCID: PMC10455936 DOI: 10.3390/life13081651] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite recent medical research and clinical practice developments, the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) significantly limits therapeutics for infectious diseases. Thus, novel treatments for infectious diseases, especially in this era of increasing AMR, are urgently needed. There is ongoing research on non-classical therapies for infectious diseases utilizing alternative antimicrobial mechanisms to fight pathogens, such as bacteriophages or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). AMPs are evolutionarily conserved molecules naturally produced by several organisms, such as plants, insects, marine organisms, and mammals, aiming to protect the host by fighting pathogenic microorganisms. There is ongoing research regarding developing AMPs for clinical use in infectious diseases. Moreover, AMPs have several other non-medical applications in the food industry, such as preservatives, animal husbandry, plant protection, and aquaculture. This review focuses on AMPs, their origins, biology, structure, mechanisms of action, non-medical applications, and clinical applications in infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Ioannou
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Stella Baliou
- Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Diamantis P. Kofteridis
- School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
- Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
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6
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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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7
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Baxani DK, Jamieson WD, Barrow DA, Castell OK. Encapsulated droplet interface bilayers as a platform for high-throughput membrane studies. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5089-5096. [PMID: 35766018 PMCID: PMC9277618 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01111a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Whilst it is highly desirable to produce artificial lipid bilayer arrays allowing for systematic high-content screening of membrane conditions, it remains a challenge due to the combined requirements of scaled membrane production, simple measurement access, and independent control over individual bilayer experimental conditions. Here, droplet bilayers encapsulated within a hydrogel shell are output individually into multi-well plates for simple, arrayed quantitative measurements. The afforded experimental throughput is used to conduct a 2D concentration screen characterising the synergistic pore-forming peptides Magainin2 and PGLa. Maximal enhanced activity is revealed at equimolar peptide concentrations via a membrane dye leakage assay, a finding consistent with models proposed from NMR data. The versatility of the platform is demonstrated by performing in situ electrophysiology, revealing low conductance pore activity (∼15 to 20 pA with 4.5 pA sub-states). In conclusion, this array platform addresses the aforementioned challenges and provides new and flexible opportunities for high-throughput membrane studies. Furthermore, the ability to engineer droplet networks within each construct paves the way for "lab-in-a-capsule" approaches accommodating multiple assays per construct and allowing for communicative reaction pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- D K Baxani
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, CF10 3NB Cardiff, UK.
| | - W D Jamieson
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, CF10 3NB Cardiff, UK.
| | - D A Barrow
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, 14-17 The Parade, CF4 3AA Cardiff, UK
| | - O K Castell
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, CF10 3NB Cardiff, UK.
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8
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Bowers SR, Klimov DK, Lockhart C. Mechanisms of Binding of Antimicrobial Peptide PGLa to DMPC/DMPG Membrane. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:1525-1537. [PMID: 35266698 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PGLa belongs to a class of antimicrobial peptides showing strong affinity to anionic bacterial membranes. Using all-atom explicit solvent replica exchange molecular dynamics with solute tempering, we studied binding of PGLa to a model anionic dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine/dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPC/DMPG) bilayer. Due to a strong hydrophobic moment, PGLa upon binding adopts a helical structure and two distinct bound states separated by a significant free energy barrier. In these states, the C-terminus helix is either surface bound or inserted into the bilayer, whereas the N-terminus remains anchored in the bilayer. Analysis of the free energy landscape indicates that the transition between the two states involves a C-terminus helix rotation permitting the peptide to preserve the interactions between cationic Lys amino acids and anionic lipid phosphorus groups. We calculated the free energy of PGLa binding and showed that it is mostly governed by the balance between desolvation of PGLa positive charges and formation of electrostatic PGLa-lipid interactions. PGLa binding induces minor bilayer thinning but causes pronounced lipid redistribution resulting from an influx of DMPG lipids into the binding footprint and efflux of DMPC lipids. Our in silico results rationalize the S-state detected in NMR experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven R Bowers
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Dmitri K Klimov
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia 20110, United States
| | - Christopher Lockhart
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia 20110, United States
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9
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Juhl DW, Glattard E, Aisenbrey C, Bechinger B. Antimicrobial peptides: mechanism of action and lipid-mediated synergistic interactions within membranes. Faraday Discuss 2021; 232:419-434. [PMID: 34533138 DOI: 10.1039/d0fd00041h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Biophysical and structural studies of peptide-lipid interactions, peptide topology and dynamics have changed our view of how antimicrobial peptides insert and interact with membranes. Clearly, both peptides and lipids are highly dynamic, and change and mutually adapt their conformation, membrane penetration and detailed morphology on a local and a global level. As a consequence, peptides and lipids can form a wide variety of supramolecular assemblies in which the more hydrophobic sequences preferentially, but not exclusively, adopt transmembrane alignments and have the potential to form oligomeric structures similar to those suggested by the transmembrane helical bundle model. In contrast, charged amphipathic sequences tend to stay intercalated at the membrane interface. Although the membranes are soft and can adapt, at increasing peptide density they cause pronounced disruptions of the phospholipid fatty acyl packing. At even higher local or global concentrations the peptides cause transient membrane openings, rupture and ultimately lysis. Interestingly, mixtures of peptides such as magainin 2 and PGLa, which are stored and secreted naturally as a cocktail, exhibit considerably enhanced antimicrobial activities when investigated together in antimicrobial assays and also in pore forming experiments applied to biophysical model systems. Our most recent investigations reveal that these peptides do not form stable complexes but act by specific lipid-mediated interactions and the nanoscale properties of phospholipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis W Juhl
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Elise Glattard
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Christopher Aisenbrey
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg, France. .,Institut Universitaire de France, France
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10
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Sharma A, Gaur A, Kumar V, Sharma N, Patil SA, Verma RK, Singh AK. Antimicrobial activity of synthetic antimicrobial peptides loaded in poly-Ɛ-caprolactone nanoparticles against mycobacteria and their functional synergy with rifampicin. Int J Pharm 2021; 608:121097. [PMID: 34534632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.121097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) treatment has become a challenge because of the natural presence of multilayered cell wall rich in lipids which restrict antibiotic permeability within the bacteria. The development of mutations conferring resistance has aggravated the situation. Consequently, maximum pharmaceutical efforts are required to improve the treatment, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with antimycobacterial activity can be exploited as a new treatment strategy against TB. The synergistic interaction between conventional antibiotics and AMPs has broadened its application landscape. To overcome peptide instability and bioavailability issues, encapsulation of these bioactive in biocompatible polymers was adopted. In this study, the effect of synthetic AMPs HHC-8 [KIWWWWRKR] and MM-10 [MLLKKLLKKM] encapsulated in poly (ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles (PCL-NPs) was evaluated against mycobacteria using REMA (Resazurin Microtiter Assay Plate) technique. PCL encapsulation allowed us to load the required amount of peptides, i.e. HHC-8 and MM-10, with an efficiency of ∼ 18.9 ± 5.24 and ∼ 21.1 ± 6.19 % respectively, and sphere size was around 376.5 ± 14.9 nm and 289.87 ± 17.98 nm for PCL-HHC-8-NPs and PCL-MM-10-NPs, respectively. Minimal degradation and sustained release of peptides from nanoparticles improved antimicrobial activity, decreasing the MIC50 from 75 µg/ml to 18.75 µg/ml against M. smegmatis and from 75 µg/ml to 9 µg/ml against M. tuberculosis, respectively. The combinatorial MIC assays of encapsulated AMP with rifampicin antibiotics against M. smegmatis showed synergism between AMP-PCL-NPs and antibiotics with fractional inhibitory concentrations (FICs) around ∼ 0.09. The combinations of AMP NPs also demonstrated synergy against the mycobacteria. Our findings suggest that enhanced efficacy is due to protection offered by AMPs encapsulation resulting in augmentation of membrane permeation by AMPs and enhanced accumulation of antibiotics within mycobacteria resulting in synergy. The study findings might assist in the preclinical development of AMP for the fight against TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Sharma
- Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology Lab, Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Phase-10, Sector-64, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Aparna Gaur
- Experimental Animal Facility, ICMR-National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, Tajganj, Agra 282004, India
| | - Vimal Kumar
- Experimental Animal Facility, ICMR-National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, Tajganj, Agra 282004, India
| | - Neelesh Sharma
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & A.H., Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, R.S. Pura, Jammu, J&K, India
| | - Shripad A Patil
- Experimental Animal Facility, ICMR-National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, Tajganj, Agra 282004, India
| | - Rahul Kumar Verma
- Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology Lab, Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Phase-10, Sector-64, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Amit Kumar Singh
- Experimental Animal Facility, ICMR-National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, Tajganj, Agra 282004, India.
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11
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Cisse A, Marquette A, Altangerel M, Peters J, Bechinger B. Investigation of the Action of Peptides on Lipid Membranes. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:10213-10223. [PMID: 34464136 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c06388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Calorimetric and incoherent neutron scattering methods were employed to investigate the action of magainin 2 and PGLa peptides on the phase behavior and molecular dynamics of lipids mimicking cytoplasmic membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. The impact of the peptides, tested individually and cooperatively by differential scanning calorimetry, presented a broadened peak, sometimes with a second shoulder, depicting the phase transition temperature around 21 °C. Neutron scattering revealed a small but significant variation of the membrane dynamics due to the peptides in both in-plane and out-of-plane directions. Although we did not find a clear hint for synergy in the interplay of the two peptides, the calorimetric and neutron data give compatible results in terms of a decrease of the enthalpy due to the presence of the peptides, which destabilize the membrane. The dynamics in the two directions was differentiated when the individual peptides were added to the membranes, but the impact was smaller when both peptides were added together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Cisse
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, LiPhy, 38000 Grenoble, France.,Institut Laue-Langevin, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Arnaud Marquette
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, UMR7177 Strasbourg, France
| | - Munkhtuguldur Altangerel
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, LiPhy, 38000 Grenoble, France.,Institut Laue-Langevin, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Judith Peters
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, LiPhy, 38000 Grenoble, France.,Institut Laue-Langevin, 38000 Grenoble, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- University of Strasbourg/CNRS, Chemistry Institute, Membrane Biophysics and NMR, UMR7177 Strasbourg, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, 75231 Paris, France
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12
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Portelinha J, Duay SS, Yu SI, Heilemann K, Libardo MDJ, Juliano SA, Klassen JL, Angeles-Boza AM. Antimicrobial Peptides and Copper(II) Ions: Novel Therapeutic Opportunities. Chem Rev 2021; 121:2648-2712. [PMID: 33524257 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of new pathogens and multidrug resistant bacteria is an important public health issue that requires the development of novel classes of antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising platform with great potential for the identification of new lead compounds that can combat the aforementioned pathogens due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and relatively low rate of resistance emergence. AMPs of multicellular organisms made their debut four decades ago thanks to ingenious researchers who asked simple questions about the resistance to bacterial infections of insects. Questions such as "Do fruit flies ever get sick?", combined with pioneering studies, have led to an understanding of AMPs as universal weapons of the immune system. This review focuses on a subclass of AMPs that feature a metal binding motif known as the amino terminal copper and nickel (ATCUN) motif. One of the metal-based strategies of hosts facing a pathogen, it includes wielding the inherent toxicity of copper and deliberately trafficking this metal ion into sites of infection. The sudden increase in the concentration of copper ions in the presence of ATCUN-containing AMPs (ATCUN-AMPs) likely results in a synergistic interaction. Herein, we examine common structural features in ATCUN-AMPs that exist across species, and we highlight unique features that deserve additional attention. We also present the current state of knowledge about the molecular mechanisms behind their antimicrobial activity and the methods available to study this promising class of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Portelinha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Searle S Duay
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States.,Chemistry Department, Adamson University, 900 San Marcelino Street, Ermita, Manila 1000, Philippines
| | - Seung I Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Kara Heilemann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - M Daben J Libardo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Samuel A Juliano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Jonathan L Klassen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 91 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Alfredo M Angeles-Boza
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States.,Institute of Material Science, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
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13
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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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14
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Drab E, Sugihara K. Cooperative Function of LL-37 and HNP1 Protects Mammalian Cell Membranes from Lysis. Biophys J 2020; 119:2440-2450. [PMID: 33157121 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
LL-37, cleaved from human cathelicidin, and human neutrophil peptide-1 (HNP1) from the defensin family are antimicrobial peptides that are occasionally co-released from neutrophils, which synergistically kill bacteria. We report that this couple presents another type of cooperativity against host eukaryotic cells, in which they antagonistically minimize cytotoxicity by protecting membranes from lysis. Our results describe the potential of the LL-37/HNP1 cooperativity that switches from membrane-destructive to membrane-protective functions, depending on whether the target is an enemy or a host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Drab
- Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kaori Sugihara
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
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15
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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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16
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Gandía M, Monge A, Garrigues S, Orozco H, Giner-Llorca M, Marcos JF, Manzanares P. Novel insights in the production, activity and protective effect of Penicillium expansum antifungal proteins. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 164:3922-3931. [PMID: 32871122 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.08.208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Antifungal proteins (AFPs) offer a great potential as new biofungicides to control deleterious fungi. The phytopathogenic fungus Penicillium expansum encodes three phylogenetically distinct AFPs, PeAfpA, PeAfpB and PeAfpC. Here, PeAfpA, a potent in vitro self-inhibitory protein, was demonstrated to control the infection caused by P. expansum in Golden apple fruits. We determined the production of the three proteins in different growth media. PeAfpA and PeAfpC were simultaneously produced by P. expansum in three out of the eight media tested as detected by Western blot, whereas PeAfpB was not detected even in those described for class B AFP production. Regardless of the culture medium, the carbon source affected Peafp expression. Notably, the production of PeAfpA was strain-dependent, but analyses of PeafpA regulatory sequences in the three strains studied could not explain differences in protein production. None of the PeAFPs was produced during apple infection, suggesting no relevant role in pathogenesis. PeAfpA together with PeAfpB and also with Penicillium digitatum PdAfpB showed synergistic interaction. The highly active antifungal PeAfpA also showed moderate antibacterial activity. We conclude that there is not a general pattern for Peafp gene expression, protein production or antimicrobial activity and confirm PeAfpA as a promising compound for postharvest conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Gandía
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Monge
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sandra Garrigues
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Helena Orozco
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Moisés Giner-Llorca
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jose F Marcos
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain.
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17
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Highly synergistic antimicrobial activity of magainin 2 and PGLa peptides is rooted in the formation of supramolecular complexes with lipids. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11652. [PMID: 32669585 PMCID: PMC7363891 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68416-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Magainin 2 and PGLa are cationic, amphipathic antimicrobial peptides which when added as equimolar mixture exhibit a pronounced synergism in both their antibacterial and pore-forming activities. Here we show for the first time that the peptides assemble into defined supramolecular structures along the membrane interface. The resulting mesophases are quantitatively described by state-of-the art fluorescence self-quenching and correlation spectroscopies. Notably, the synergistic behavior of magainin 2 and PGLa correlates with the formation of hetero-domains and an order-of-magnitude increased membrane affinity of both peptides. Enhanced membrane association of the peptide mixture is only observed in the presence of phophatidylethanolamines but not of phosphatidylcholines, lipids that dominate bacterial and eukaryotic membranes, respectively. Thereby the increased membrane-affinity of the peptide mixtures not only explains their synergistic antimicrobial activity, but at the same time provides a new concept to increase the therapeutic window of combinatorial drugs.
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18
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Ma W, Sun S, Li W, Zhang Z, Lin Z, Xia Y, Yuan B, Yang K. Individual Roles of Peptides PGLa and Magainin 2 in Synergistic Membrane Poration. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:7190-7199. [PMID: 32529830 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Synergy between antimicrobial peptides PGLa and Magainin 2 (MAG2) provides an efficient way to enhance their antimicrobial ability. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of such synergy, especially the individual roles of each peptide, remains poorly understood. We combined a giant unilamellar vesicle leakage assay, in situ interfacial photovoltage testing, and molecular dynamics to investigate membrane poration under the action of PGLa, MAG2, or a PGLa/MAG2 mixture. Our results clearly show the different membrane action modes of the three systems and demonstrate the importance of forming PGLa-MAG2 heterodimers in the membrane poration process. PGLa inserted into and extracted from a membrane rapidly and continually with minimal aggregation and produced only transient, small pores. In contrast, MAG2 peptides tended to aggregate together on the membrane surface or only shallowly embed in the membrane. Additionally, the PGLa and MAG2 residues were well integrated into the membrane via the formation of PGLa-MAG2 heterodimers. The membrane defect produced by the rapid insertion of PGLa was stabilized by MAG2, which further recruited other peptides for the formation of PGLa-MAG2 heterodimers and even heterodimer clusters. Growth in pore size then occurred in a step-by-step process involving the formation and assembly of heterodimer clusters within the membrane. Our results provide insight into the complicated synergy that occurs between PGLa and MAG2 during membrane poration and will assist in the design of new antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendong Ma
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Shuqing Sun
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Wenwen Li
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Zhihong Zhang
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Zhao Lin
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Yu Xia
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Bing Yuan
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
| | - Kai Yang
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
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19
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Heterodimer and pore formation of magainin 2 and PGLa: The anchoring and tilting of peptides in lipid bilayers. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183305. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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20
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Lazzaro BP, Zasloff M, Rolff J. Antimicrobial peptides: Application informed by evolution. Science 2020; 368:368/6490/eaau5480. [PMID: 32355003 DOI: 10.1126/science.aau5480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 479] [Impact Index Per Article: 119.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of immune defenses of multicellular organisms and are currently in development as anti-infective drugs. AMPs have been classically assumed to have broad-spectrum activity and simple kinetics, but recent evidence suggests an unexpected degree of specificity and a high capacity for synergies. Deeper evaluation of the molecular evolution and population genetics of AMP genes reveals more evidence for adaptive maintenance of polymorphism in AMP genes than has previously been appreciated, as well as adaptive loss of AMP activity. AMPs exhibit pharmacodynamic properties that reduce the evolution of resistance in target microbes, and AMPs may synergize with one another and with conventional antibiotics. Both of these properties make AMPs attractive for translational applications. However, if AMPs are to be used clinically, it is crucial to understand their natural biology in order to lessen the risk of collateral harm and avoid the crisis of resistance now facing conventional antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Lazzaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Michael Zasloff
- MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jens Rolff
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Biologie, Königin-Luise-Strasse 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany. .,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany
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21
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Lorenzon EN, Piccoli JP, Santos-Filho NA, Cilli EM. Dimerization of Antimicrobial Peptides: A Promising Strategy to Enhance Antimicrobial Peptide Activity. Protein Pept Lett 2019; 26:98-107. [PMID: 30605048 PMCID: PMC6416459 DOI: 10.2174/0929866526666190102125304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health problem with strong social and economic impacts. The development of new antimicrobial agents is considered an urgent challenge. In this regard, Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) appear to be novel candidates to overcome this problem. The mechanism of action of AMPs involves intracellular targets and membrane disruption. Although the exact mechanism of action of AMPs remains controversial, most AMPs act through membrane disruption of the target cell. Several strategies have been used to improve AMP activity, such as peptide dimerization. In this review, we focus on AMP dimerization, showing many examples of dimerized peptides and their effects on biological activity. Although more studies are necessary to elucidate the relationship between peptide properties and the dimerization effect on antimicrobial activity, dimerization constitutes a promising strategy to improve the effectiveness of AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban N Lorenzon
- Unidade Academica Especial da Saude, Universidade Federal de Jatai, Jatai-GO, Brazil
| | - Julia P Piccoli
- Instituto de Quimica, UNESP- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araraquara-SP, Brazil
| | - Norival A Santos-Filho
- UNESP- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus Experimental de Registro, Registro, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo M Cilli
- Instituto de Quimica, UNESP- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araraquara-SP, Brazil
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22
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Khamwut A, Jevapatarakul D, Reamtong O, T-Thienprasert NP. In vitro evaluation of anti-epidermoid cancer activity of Acanthus ebracteatus protein hydrolysate and their effects on apoptosis and cellular proteins. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:3128-3136. [PMID: 31452790 PMCID: PMC6704294 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl. is commonly consumed with the aim of curing cancer, inflammatory conditions and skin diseases in traditional Thai medicine. It is known to contain various phytochemicals; however, very little is known about the effects of A. ebracteatus protein hydrolysate on cancer cells, including its molecular mechanisms. The present study therefore investigated the anti-cancer activity of A. ebracteatus protein hydrolysates against epidermoid cancer of the skin cell line A431. Their effects on the apoptosis pathway and expression of proteins involved in the regulation of apoptosis, cell proliferation or cell cycle were also investigated. Crude extract of protein hydrolysate, partially purified peptides and purified peptides extracted from the aerial part of A. ebracteatus were administered to the A431 cells. The cytotoxicity effects were then determined using an MTT assay. As a result, A. ebracteatus protein hydrolysate significantly inhibited A431 cells with half inhibitory concentration equals to 425.9 ng protein/ml. By performing Annexin V assay, the partially purified peptides of A. ebracteatus were demonstrated to enhance the apoptosis pathway. Furthermore, western blot analysis revealed that the partially purified peptides of A. ebracteatus increased protein expression levels of RelA (p65) and Cyclin D1 proteins. However, A. ebracteatus did not increase the expression levels of p53-serine 15 phosphorylation (Ser15P).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariya Khamwut
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Damita Jevapatarakul
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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23
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Juretić D, Simunić J. Design of α-helical antimicrobial peptides with a high selectivity index. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:1053-1063. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1642322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Davor Juretić
- Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences, Split, Croatia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Split, Croatia
| | - Juraj Simunić
- Division of molecular biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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24
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Leber R, Pachler M, Kabelka I, Svoboda I, Enkoller D, Vácha R, Lohner K, Pabst G. Synergism of Antimicrobial Frog Peptides Couples to Membrane Intrinsic Curvature Strain. Biophys J 2019; 114:1945-1954. [PMID: 29694871 PMCID: PMC5937145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mixtures of the frog peptides magainin 2 and PGLa are well-known for their pronounced synergistic killing of Gram-negative bacteria. We aimed to gain insight into the underlying biophysical mechanism by interrogating the permeabilizing efficacies of the peptides as a function of stored membrane curvature strain. For Gram-negative bacterial-inner-membrane mimics, synergism was only observed when the anionic bilayers exhibited significant negative intrinsic curvatures imposed by monounsaturated phosphatidylethanolamine. In contrast, the peptides and their mixtures did not exhibit significant activities in charge-neutral mammalian mimics, including those with negative curvature, which is consistent with the requirement of charge-mediated peptide binding to the membrane. Our experimental findings are supported by computer simulations showing a significant decrease of the peptide-insertion free energy in membranes upon shifting intrinsic curvatures toward more positive values. The physiological relevance of our model studies is corroborated by a remarkable agreement with the peptide’s synergistic activity in Escherichia coli. We propose that synergism is related to a lowering of a membrane-curvature-strain-mediated free-energy barrier by PGLa that assists membrane insertion of magainin 2, and not by strict pairwise interactions of the two peptides as suggested previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Leber
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Michael Pachler
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Ivo Kabelka
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Irene Svoboda
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Robert Vácha
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karl Lohner
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Georg Pabst
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Biophysics Division, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria.
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25
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Aisenbrey C, Marquette A, Bechinger B. The Mechanisms of Action of Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides Refined by Novel Concepts from Biophysical Investigations. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1117:33-64. [PMID: 30980352 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-3588-4_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Even 30 years after the discovery of magainins, biophysical and structural investigations on how these peptides interact with membranes can still bear surprises and add new interesting detail to how these peptides exert their antimicrobial action. Early on, using oriented solid-state NMR spectroscopy, it was found that the amphipathic helices formed by magainins are active when being oriented parallel to the membrane surface. More recent investigations indicate that this in-planar alignment is also found when PGLa and magainin in combination exert synergistic pore-forming activities, where studies on the mechanism of synergistic interaction are ongoing. In a related manner, the investigation of dimeric antimicrobial peptide sequences has become an interesting topic of research which bears promise to refine our views how antimicrobial action occurs. The molecular shape concept has been introduced to explain the effects of lipids and peptides on membrane morphology, locally and globally, and in particular of cationic amphipathic helices that partition into the membrane interface. This concept has been extended in this review to include more recent ideas on soft membranes that can adapt to external stimuli including membrane-disruptive molecules. In this manner, the lipids can change their shape in the presence of low peptide concentrations, thereby maintaining the bilayer properties. At higher peptide concentrations, phase transitions occur which lead to the formation of pores and membrane lytic processes. In the context of the molecular shape concept, the properties of lipopeptides, including surfactins, are shortly presented, and comparisons with the hydrophobic alamethicin sequence are made.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arnaud Marquette
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, Strasbourg, France
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, Strasbourg, France. .,Faculté de chimie, Institut le Bel, Strasbourg, France.
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26
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Elementary processes of antimicrobial peptide PGLa-induced pore formation in lipid bilayers. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:2262-2271. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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27
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Genomics of experimental adaptation of Staphylococcus aureus to a natural combination of insect antimicrobial peptides. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15359. [PMID: 30337550 PMCID: PMC6193990 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33593-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are highly conserved immune effectors across the tree of life and are employed as combinations. In the beetle Tenebrio molitor, a defensin and a coleoptericin are highly expressed in vivo after inoculation with S. aureus. The defensin displays strong in vitro activity but no survival benefit in vivo. The coleoptericin provides a survival benefit in vivo, but no activity in vitro. This suggests a potentiating effect in vivo, and here we wanted to investigate the effects of this combination on resistance evolution using a bottom-approach in vitro starting with a combination of two abundant AMPs only. We experimentally evolved S. aureus in the presence of the defensin and a combination of the defensin and coleoptericin. Genome re-sequencing showed that resistance was associated with mutations in either the pmt or nsa operons. Strains with these mutations show longer lag phases, slower Vmax, and nsa mutants reach lower final population sizes. Mutations in the rpo operon showed a further increase in the lag phase in nsa mutants but not in pmt mutants. In contrast, final MICs (minimum inhibitory concentrations) do not differ according to mutation. All resistant lines display AMP but not antibiotic cross-resistance. Costly resistance against AMPs readily evolves for an individual AMP as well as a naturally occurring combination in vitro and provides broad protection against AMPs. Such non-specific resistance could result in strong selection on host immune systems that rely on cocktails of AMPs.
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Lipid-Mediated Interactions between the Antimicrobial Peptides Magainin 2 and PGLa in Bilayers. Biophys J 2018; 115:1033-1044. [PMID: 30195937 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A synergistic enhancement of activities has been described for the amphipathic cationic antimicrobial peptides magainin 2 and PGLa when tested in antimicrobial assays or in biophysical experiments using model membranes. In the presence of magainin 2, PGLa changes from an in-planar alignment parallel to the membrane surface to a more transmembrane orientation when investigated in membranes made from fully saturated PC or PC/PG, but not when one of the fatty acyl chains is unsaturated. Such lipid-mediated changes in the membrane topology of polypeptide domains could provide an interesting mechanism for the regulation of membrane proteins. Here we investigated the PGLa topology in a wide variety of membranes made of saturated or unsaturated PE, PC, and/or PG using 15N solid-state NMR spectroscopy. In contrast to predictions made by previous models the data show that membrane curvature has only a minor effect on PGLa realignment. Furthermore, using 2H solid-state NMR spectroscopy of deuterated phospholipid fatty acyl chains the order parameters of the lipids were investigated in the presence of PGLa, magainin, or equimolar peptide mixtures. Both peptides cause a pronounced decrease in the order parameters when oriented parallel to the membrane surface, an effect that reverts when PGLa flips into transmembrane alignments. Taken together, these data are suggestive that the magainin-induced disordering of fatty acyl chains provides an important driving force for PGLa realignment.
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29
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Christiansen SH, Murphy RA, Juul-Madsen K, Fredborg M, Hvam ML, Axelgaard E, Skovdal SM, Meyer RL, Sørensen UBS, Möller A, Nyengaard JR, Nørskov-Lauritsen N, Wang M, Gadjeva M, Howard KA, Davies JC, Petersen E, Vorup-Jensen T. The Immunomodulatory Drug Glatiramer Acetate is Also an Effective Antimicrobial Agent that Kills Gram-negative Bacteria. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15653. [PMID: 29142299 PMCID: PMC5688084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15969-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Classic drug development strategies have failed to meet the urgent clinical needs in treating infections with Gram-negative bacteria. Repurposing drugs can lead to timely availability of new antibiotics, accelerated by existing safety profiles. Glatiramer acetate (GA) is a widely used and safe formulation for treatment of multiple sclerosis. It contains a large diversity of essentially isomeric polypeptides with the cationic and amphiphilic character of many antimicrobial peptides (AMP). Here, we report that GA is antibacterial, targeting Gram-negative organisms with higher activity towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa than the naturally-occurring AMP LL-37 in human plasma. As judged from flow cytometric assays, bacterial killing by GA occurred within minutes. Laboratory strains of Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa were killed by a process of condensing intracellular contents. Efficient killing by GA was also demonstrated in Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates and approximately 50% of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from chronic airway infection in CF patients. By contrast, the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus cells appeared to be protected from GA by an increased formation of nm-scale particulates. Our data identify GA as an attractive drug repurposing candidate to treat infections with Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stig Hill Christiansen
- Biophysical Immunology Laboratory, Dept. of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ronan A Murphy
- CF and Chronic Lung Infection, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kristian Juul-Madsen
- Biophysical Immunology Laboratory, Dept. of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marlene Fredborg
- Dept. of Clinical Microbiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michael Lykke Hvam
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Esben Axelgaard
- Biophysical Immunology Laboratory, Dept. of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sandra M Skovdal
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Rikke Louise Meyer
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Dept. of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Uffe B Skov Sørensen
- Biophysical Immunology Laboratory, Dept. of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Arne Möller
- Dept. of Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jens Randel Nyengaard
- Core Center for Molecular Morphology, Section for Stereology and Microscopy, Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Center for Stochastic Geometry and Advanced Bioimaging, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Niels Nørskov-Lauritsen
- Dept. of Clinical Microbiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Aarhus, Denmark.,Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mikala Wang
- Dept. of Clinical Microbiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Aarhus, Denmark.,Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mihaela Gadjeva
- Dept. of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth A Howard
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jane C Davies
- CF and Chronic Lung Infection, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Dept. of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton & Harefield Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Eskild Petersen
- Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Aarhus University Network for Interdisciplinary Drug Resistance Research, Aarhus, Denmark.,Dept. of Infectious Diseases, The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Thomas Vorup-Jensen
- Biophysical Immunology Laboratory, Dept. of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. .,Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. .,Aarhus University Network for Interdisciplinary Drug Resistance Research, Aarhus, Denmark.
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30
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Molecular mechanism of synergy between the antimicrobial peptides PGLa and magainin 2. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13153. [PMID: 29030606 PMCID: PMC5640672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12599-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PGLa and magainin 2 (MAG2) are amphiphilic α-helical membranolytic peptides from frog skin with known synergistic antimicrobial activity. By systematically mutating residues in the two peptides it was possible to identify the ones crucial for the synergy, as monitored by biological assays, fluorescence vesicle leakage, and solid-state 15N-NMR. Electrostatic interactions between anionic groups in MAG2 and cationic residues in PGLa enhance synergy but are not necessary for the synergistic effect. Instead, two Gly residues (7 and 11) in a so-called GxxxG motif in PGLa are necessary for synergy. Replacing either of them with Ala or another hydrophobic residue completely abolishes synergy according to all three methods used. The designer-made peptide MSI-103, which has a similar sequence as PGLa, shows no synergy with MAG2, but by introducing two Gly mutations it was possible to make it synergistic. A molecular model is proposed for the functionally active PGLa-MAG2 complex, consisting of a membrane-spanning antiparallel PGLa dimer that is stabilized by intimate Gly-Gly contacts, and where each PGLa monomer is in contact with one MAG2 molecule at its C-terminus.
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31
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Makarova O, Rodríguez-Rojas A, Eravci M, Weise C, Dobson A, Johnston P, Rolff J. Antimicrobial defence and persistent infection in insects revisited. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0296. [PMID: 27160598 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects show long-lasting antimicrobial immune responses that follow the initial fast-acting cellular processes. These immune responses are discussed to provide a form of phrophylaxis and/or to serve as a safety measure against persisting infections. The duration and components of such long-lasting responses have rarely been studied in detail, a necessary prerequisite to understand their adaptive value. Here, we present a 21 day proteomic time course of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor immune-challenged with heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus The most upregulated peptides are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), many of which are still highly abundant 21 days after infection. The identified AMPs included toll and imd-mediated AMPs, a significant number of which have no known function against S. aureus or other Gram-positive bacteria. The proteome reflects the selective arena for bacterial infections. The results also corroborate the notion of synergistic interactions in vivo that are difficult to model in vitroThis article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Makarova
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Alexandro Rodríguez-Rojas
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Murat Eravci
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Chris Weise
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Adam Dobson
- Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Paul Johnston
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, Berlin 14195, Germany Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Königin-Luise-Straße 6-8, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Jens Rolff
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, Berlin 14195, Germany Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstraße 6, Berlin 14195, Germany
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32
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Xia X, Cheng L, Zhang S, Wang L, Hu J. The role of natural antimicrobial peptides during infection and chronic inflammation. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2017; 111:5-26. [PMID: 28856473 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-017-0929-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a family of small polypeptides that are produced by constitutive or inducible expression in organisms, are integral components of the host innate immune system. In addition to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, natural AMPs also have many biological activities against fungi, viruses and parasites. Natural AMPs exert multiple immunomodulatory roles that may predominate under physiological conditions where they lose their microbicidal properties in serum and tissue environments. Increased drug resistance among microorganisms is occurring far more quickly than the discovery of new antibiotics. Natural AMPs have shown promise as 'next generation antibiotics' due to their broad-spectrum curative effects, low toxicity, the fact that they are not residual in animals, and the low rates of resistance exhibited by many pathogens. Many types of synthetic AMPs are currently being tested in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of various diseases such as chemotherapy-associated infections, diabetic foot ulcers, catheter-related infections, and other conditions. Here, we provide an overview of the types and functions of natural AMPs and their role in combating microorganisms and different infectious and inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Xia
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, Hualan Street, Xinxiang, 453003, People's Republic of China
| | - Likun Cheng
- Shandong Binzhou Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine Academy, Binzhou, 256600, People's Republic of China
| | - Shouping Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, Hualan Street, Xinxiang, 453003, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, Hualan Street, Xinxiang, 453003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhe Hu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, No. 90, Hualan Street, Xinxiang, 453003, People's Republic of China.
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Piotrowska U, Sobczak M, Oledzka E. Current state of a dual behaviour of antimicrobial peptides-Therapeutic agents and promising delivery vectors. Chem Biol Drug Des 2017; 90:1079-1093. [DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Piotrowska
- Chair of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry; Department of Biomaterials Chemistry; Faculty of Pharmacy with the Laboratory Medicine Division; Medical University of Warsaw; Warsaw Poland
| | - Marcin Sobczak
- Chair of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry; Department of Biomaterials Chemistry; Faculty of Pharmacy with the Laboratory Medicine Division; Medical University of Warsaw; Warsaw Poland
| | - Ewa Oledzka
- Chair of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry; Department of Biomaterials Chemistry; Faculty of Pharmacy with the Laboratory Medicine Division; Medical University of Warsaw; Warsaw Poland
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34
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Strandberg E, Horn D, Reißer S, Zerweck J, Wadhwani P, Ulrich AS. 2H-NMR and MD Simulations Reveal Membrane-Bound Conformation of Magainin 2 and Its Synergy with PGLa. Biophys J 2017; 111:2149-2161. [PMID: 27851939 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Magainin 2 (MAG2) and PGLa are two α-helical antimicrobial peptides found in the skin of the African frog Xenopus laevis. They act by permeabilizing bacterial membranes and exhibit an exemplary synergism. Here, we determined the detailed molecular alignment and dynamical behavior of MAG2 in oriented lipid bilayers by using 2H-NMR on Ala-d3-labeled peptides, which yielded orientation-dependent quadrupolar splittings of the labels. The amphiphilic MAG2 helix was found to lie flat on the membrane surface in 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC)/1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC)/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG), as expected, with a tilt angle close to 90°. This orientation fits well with all-atom molecular-dynamics simulations of MAG2 performed in DMPC and DMPC/DMPG. In the presence of an equimolar amount of PGLa, the NMR analysis showed that MAG2 becames tilted at an angle of 120°, and its azimuthal rotation angle also changes. Since this interaction was found to occur in a concentration range where the peptides per se do not interact with their own type, we propose that MAG2 forms a stable heterodimer with PGLa. Given that the PGLa molecules in the complex are known to be flipped into a fully upright orientation, with a helix tilt close to 180°, they must make up the actual transmembrane pore. We thus suggest that the two negative charges on the C-terminus of the obliquely tilted MAG2 peptides neutralize some of the cationic groups on the upright PGLa helices. This would stabilize the assembly of PGLa into a toroidal pore with an overall reduced charge density, which could explain the mechanism of synergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Strandberg
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Diana Horn
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sabine Reißer
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jonathan Zerweck
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Parvesh Wadhwani
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Anne S Ulrich
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany; Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.
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35
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Gao F, Wang X, Li Z, Zhou A, Tiffany-Castiglioni E, Xie L, Qian Y. Identification of anti-tumor components from toad venom. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:15-22. [PMID: 28693129 PMCID: PMC5494832 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Secretion of granular glands from the skin of amphibians is a fascinating resource of active substances, particularly for cancer therapy in clinical practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A variety of anti-tumor peptides have been isolated from different toads and frogs; however, no anti-tumor peptides are reported in toad venom of Bufo gargarizans. Firstly, soluble fraction from fresh toad venom (FTV) was compared with that from dried toad venom (DTV), using HPLC analysis. It was revealed that FTV has a different HPLC chromatography compared with DTV. Soluble fraction of FTV is more toxic to SH-SY5Y cells than that of DTV, as evaluated by MTT assay. Secondly, it was identified that protein components from soluble fractions of FTV and DTV possess different patterns by SDS-PAGE analysis, and proteins from FTV are also more toxic than that from DTV. Thirdly, an immobilized basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) affinity column was used to isolate bFGF-binding components from soluble fraction of FTV, and it was identified that bFGF-binding components prohibited bFGF-dependent neurite growth of SH-SY5Y cells. Finally, it was identified that bFGF-binding components activated apoptosis via upregulation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 expression in SH-SY5Y cells. These data suggest that FTV contains active components that interact with bFGF and activate apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Gao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'An, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China.,Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'An, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China
| | - Xiangjun Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'An, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China
| | - Zhao Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'An, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China
| | - Aicun Zhou
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'An, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China
| | | | - Lijun Xie
- Department of Orthopedics, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310052, P.R. China
| | - Yongchang Qian
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'An, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China.,Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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36
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Matthijs S, Hernalsteens JP, Roelants K. An orthologue of the host-defense protein psoriasin (S100A7) is expressed in frog skin. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 67:395-403. [PMID: 27569988 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Host-defense peptides and proteins are vital for first line protection against bacteria. Most host-defense peptides and proteins common in vertebrates have been studied primarily in mammals, while their orthologues in non-mammalian vertebrates received less attention. We found that the European Common Frog Rana temporaria expresses a protein in its skin that is evolutionarily related to the host-defense protein S100A7. This prompted us to test if the encoded protein, which is an important microbicidal protein in human skin, shows similar activity in frogs. The R. temporaria protein lacks the zinc-binding sites that are key to the antimicrobial activity of human S100A7 at neutral pH. However, despite being less potent, the R. temporaria protein does compromise bacterial membranes at low pH, similar to its human counterpart. We postulate that, while amphibian S100A7 likely serves other functions, the capacity to compromise bacterial cell membranes evolved early in tetrapod evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severine Matthijs
- Amphibian Evolution Lab, Biology Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Kim Roelants
- Amphibian Evolution Lab, Biology Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
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37
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Gusmão KAG, Dos Santos DM, Santos VM, Cortés ME, Reis PVM, Santos VL, Piló-Veloso D, Verly RM, de Lima ME, Resende JM. Ocellatin peptides from the skin secretion of the South American frog Leptodactylus labyrinthicus (Leptodactylidae): characterization, antimicrobial activities and membrane interactions. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2017; 23:4. [PMID: 28115922 PMCID: PMC5244724 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-017-0094-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The availability of antimicrobial peptides from several different natural sources has opened an avenue for the discovery of new biologically active molecules. To the best of our knowledge, only two peptides isolated from the frog Leptodactylus labyrinthicus, namely pentadactylin and ocellatin-F1, have shown antimicrobial activities. Therefore, in order to explore the antimicrobial potential of this species, we have investigated the biological activities and membrane interactions of three peptides isolated from the anuran skin secretion. Methods Three peptide primary structures were determined by automated Edman degradation. These sequences were prepared by solid-phase synthesis and submitted to activity assays against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and against two fungal strains. The hemolytic properties of the peptides were also investigated in assays with rabbit blood erythrocytes. The conformational preferences of the peptides and their membrane interactions have been investigated by circular dichroism spectroscopy and liposome dye release assays. Results The amino acid compositions of three ocellatins were determined and the sequences exhibit 100% homology for the first 22 residues (ocellatin-LB1 sequence). Ocellatin-LB2 carries an extra Asn residue and ocellatin-F1 extra Asn-Lys-Leu residues at C-terminus. Ocellatin-F1 presents a stronger antibiotic potential and a broader spectrum of activities compared to the other peptides. The membrane interactions and pore formation capacities of the peptides correlate directly with their antimicrobial activities, i.e., ocellatin-F1 > ocellatin-LB1 > ocellatin-LB2. All peptides acquire high helical contents in membrane environments. However, ocellatin-F1 shows in average stronger helical propensities. Conclusions The obtained results indicate that the three extra amino acid residues at the ocellatin-F1 C-terminus play an important role in promoting stronger peptide-membrane interactions and antimicrobial properties. The extra Asn-23 residue present in ocellatin-LB2 sequence seems to decrease its antimicrobial potential and the strength of the peptide-membrane interactions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40409-017-0094-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla A G Gusmão
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.,Instituto de Engenharia, Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Janaúba, MG Brazil
| | - Daniel M Dos Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Virgílio M Santos
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - María Esperanza Cortés
- Departamento de Odontologia Restauradora, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Pablo V M Reis
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Vera L Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Dorila Piló-Veloso
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Rodrigo M Verly
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Diamantina, MG Brazil
| | - Maria Elena de Lima
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
| | - Jarbas M Resende
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil
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Bolouri Moghaddam MR, Tonk M, Schreiber C, Salzig D, Czermak P, Vilcinskas A, Rahnamaeian M. The potential of the Galleria mellonella innate immune system is maximized by the co-presentation of diverse antimicrobial peptides. Biol Chem 2016; 397:939-45. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous components of the insect innate immune system. The model insect Galleria mellonella has at least 18 AMPs, some of which are still uncharacterized in terms of antimicrobial activity. To determine why G. mellonella secretes a repertoire of distinct AMPs following an immune challenge, we selected three different AMPs: cecropin A (CecA), gallerimycin and cobatoxin. We found that cobatoxin was active against Micrococcus luteus at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 120 μm, but at 60 μm when co-presented with 4 μm CecA. In contrast, the MIC of gallerimycin presented alone was 60 μm and the co-presentation of CecA did not affect this value. Cobatoxin and gallerimycin were both inactive against Escherichia coli at physiological concentrations, however gallerimycin could potentiate the sublethal dose of CecA (0.25 μm) at a concentration of 30 μm resulting in 100% lethality. The ability of gallerimycin to potentiate the CecA was investigated by flow cytometry, revealing that 30 μm gallerimycin sensitized E. coli cells by inducing membrane depolarization, which intensified the otherwise negligible effects of 0.25 μm CecA. We therefore conclude that G. mellonella maximizes the potential of its innate immune response by the co-presentation of different AMPs that become more effective at lower concentrations when presented simultaneously.
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Grage SL, Afonin S, Kara S, Buth G, Ulrich AS. Membrane Thinning and Thickening Induced by Membrane-Active Amphipathic Peptides. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 4:65. [PMID: 27595096 PMCID: PMC4999517 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane thinning has been discussed as a fundamental mechanism by which antimicrobial peptides can perturb cellular membranes. To understand which factors play a role in this process, we compared several amphipathic peptides with different structures, sizes and functions in their influence on the lipid bilayer thickness. PGLa and magainin 2 from X. laevis were studied as typical representatives of antimicrobial cationic amphipathic α-helices. A 1:1 mixture of these peptides, which is known to possess synergistically enhanced activity, allowed us to evaluate whether and how this synergistic interaction correlates with changes in membrane thickness. Other systems investigated here include the α-helical stress-response peptide TisB from E. coli (which forms membrane-spanning dimers), as well as gramicidin S from A. migulanus (a natural antibiotic), and BP100 (designer-made antimicrobial and cell penetrating peptide). The latter two are very short, with a circular β-pleated and a compact α-helical structure, respectively. Solid-state (2)H-NMR and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) on oriented phospholipid bilayers were used as complementary techniques to access the hydrophobic thickness as well as the bilayer-bilayer repeat distance including the water layer in between. This way, we found that magainin 2, gramicidin S, and BP100 induced membrane thinning, as expected for amphiphilic peptides residing in the polar/apolar interface of the bilayer. PGLa, on the other hand, decreased the hydrophobic thickness only at very high peptide:lipid ratios, and did not change the bilayer-bilayer repeat distance. TisB even caused an increase in the hydrophobic thickness and repeat distance. When reconstituted as a mixture, PGLa and magainin 2 showed a moderate thinning effect which was less than that of magainin 2 alone, hence their synergistically enhanced activity does not seem to correlate with a modulation of membrane thickness. Overall, the absence of a typical thinning response in the case of PGLa, and the increase in the repeat distance and membrane thickening observed for TisB, demonstrate that the concept of peptide-induced membrane thinning cannot be generalized. Instead, these results suggest that different factors contribute to the resulting changes in membrane thickness, such as the peptide orientation in the bilayer, and/or bilayer adaptation to hydrophobic mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan L Grage
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Biological Interfaces Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sergii Afonin
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Biological Interfaces Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sezgin Kara
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Organic Chemistry Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Gernot Buth
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Accelerator Physics and Technology Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Anne S Ulrich
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Biological InterfacesKarlsruhe, Germany; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Organic ChemistryKarlsruhe, Germany
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Zerweck J, Strandberg E, Bürck J, Reichert J, Wadhwani P, Kukharenko O, Ulrich AS. Homo- and heteromeric interaction strengths of the synergistic antimicrobial peptides PGLa and magainin 2 in membranes. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2016; 45:535-47. [PMID: 27052218 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-016-1120-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PGLa and magainin 2 (MAG2) are amphiphilic α-helical frog peptides with synergistic antimicrobial activity. In vesicle leakage assays we observed the strongest synergy for equimolar mixtures of PGLa and MAG2. This result was consistent with solid-state (15)N-NMR data on the helix alignment in model membranes. The Hill coefficients determined from the vesicle leakage data showed that the heterodimeric (PGLa-MAG2) interactions were stronger than the homodimeric (PGLa-PGLa and MAG2-MAG2) interactions. This result was also reflected in the free energy of dimerization determined from oriented circular dichroism and quantitative solid-state (19)F-NMR analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Zerweck
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Organic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Erik Strandberg
- KIT, Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jochen Bürck
- KIT, Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Johannes Reichert
- KIT, Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Parvesh Wadhwani
- KIT, Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Olga Kukharenko
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Organic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Anne S Ulrich
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Organic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany. .,KIT, Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany.
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41
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Rahnamaeian M, Cytryńska M, Zdybicka-Barabas A, Dobslaff K, Wiesner J, Twyman RM, Zuchner T, Sadd BM, Regoes RR, Schmid-Hempel P, Vilcinskas A. Insect antimicrobial peptides show potentiating functional interactions against Gram-negative bacteria. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150293. [PMID: 25833860 PMCID: PMC4426631 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and proteins are important components of innate
immunity against pathogens in insects. The production of AMPs is costly owing to
resource-based trade-offs, and strategies maximizing the efficacy of AMPs at low
concentrations are therefore likely to be advantageous. Here, we show the
potentiating functional interaction of co-occurring insect AMPs (the bumblebee
linear peptides hymenoptaecin and abaecin) resulting in more potent
antimicrobial effects at low concentrations. Abaecin displayed no detectable
activity against Escherichia coli when tested alone at
concentrations of up to 200 μM, whereas hymenoptaecin affected bacterial
cell growth and viability but only at concentrations greater than 2 μM.
In combination, as little as 1.25 μM abaecin enhanced the bactericidal
effects of hymenoptaecin. To understand these potentiating functional
interactions, we investigated their mechanisms of action using atomic force
microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based quenching assays.
Abaecin was found to reduce the minimal inhibitory concentration of
hymenoptaecin and to interact with the bacterial chaperone DnaK (an
evolutionarily conserved central organizer of the bacterial chaperone network)
when the membrane was compromised by hymenoptaecin. These naturally occurring
potentiating interactions suggest that combinations of AMPs could be used
therapeutically against Gram-negative bacterial pathogens that have acquired
resistance to common antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany
| | - Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka Street 19, Lublin 20-033, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka Street 19, Lublin 20-033, Poland
| | - Kristin Dobslaff
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy and Center of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Jochen Wiesner
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany
| | - Richard M Twyman
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany TRM Ltd, PO Box 93, York YO43 3WE, UK
| | - Thole Zuchner
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy and Center of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Roland R Regoes
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zentrum CHN, Universitätsstrasse 16, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Paul Schmid-Hempel
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zentrum CHN, Universitätsstrasse 16, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, Giessen 35394, Germany Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, Giessen 35392, Germany
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Pino-Angeles A, Leveritt JM, Lazaridis T. Pore Structure and Synergy in Antimicrobial Peptides of the Magainin Family. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1004570. [PMID: 26727376 PMCID: PMC4699650 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Magainin 2 and PGLa are among the best-studied cationic antimicrobial peptides. They bind preferentially to negatively charged membranes and apparently cause their disruption by the formation of transmembrane pores, whose detailed structure is still unclear. Here we report the results of 5–9 μs all-atom molecular dynamics simulations starting from tetrameric transmembrane helical bundles of these two peptides, as well as their stoichiometric mixture, and the analog MG-H2 in DMPC or 3:1 DMPC/DMPG membranes. The simulations produce pore structures that appear converged, although some effect of the starting peptide arrangement (parallel vs. antiparallel) is still observed on this timescale. The peptides remain mostly helical and adopt tilted orientations. The calculated tilt angles for PGLa are in excellent agreement with recent solid state NMR experiments. The antiparallel dimer structure in the magainin 2 simulations resembles previously determined NMR and crystal structures. More transmembrane orientations and a larger and more ordered pore are seen in the 1:1 heterotetramer with an antiparallel helix arrangement. Insights into the mechanism of synergy between these two peptides are obtained via implicit solvent modeling of homo- and heterodimers and analysis of interactions in the atomistic simulations. This analysis suggests stronger pairwise interactions in the heterodimer than in the two homodimers. The emergence of antibiotic resistance has created a compelling need for new potent antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides, naturally produced by many organisms, have long been pursued as a means to fill this gap. However, they have not yet realized their practical potential, partly due to a lack of full understanding of their mechanism of action. The formation of pores by these peptides in bacterial membranes has been demonstrated by multiple biophysical approaches, but the detailed structure of these pores is still unclear. The magainin family of antimicrobial peptides have been thoroughly studied over the last three decades. We have generated atomic-resolution models of membrane pores generated by tetrameric assemblies of different magainin peptides by means of molecular dynamics simulations on the multimicrosecond timescale. The results complement previous experimental findings and set the stage for further development of theoretical and experimental approaches that may ultimately allow the rational design of improved antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almudena Pino-Angeles
- Department of Chemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John M. Leveritt
- Department of Chemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Themis Lazaridis
- Department of Chemistry, The City College of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Combination Effects of Antimicrobial Peptides. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:1717-24. [PMID: 26729502 PMCID: PMC4775937 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02434-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ancient and conserved across the tree of life. Their efficacy over evolutionary time has been largely attributed to their mechanisms of killing. Yet, the understanding of their pharmacodynamics both in vivo and in vitro is very limited. This is, however, crucial for applications of AMPs as drugs and also informs the understanding of the action of AMPs in natural immune systems. Here, we selected six different AMPs from different organisms to test their individual and combined effects in vitro. We analyzed their pharmacodynamics based on the Hill function and evaluated the interaction of combinations of two and three AMPs. Interactions of AMPs in our study were mostly synergistic, and three-AMP combinations displayed stronger synergism than two-AMP combinations. This suggests synergism to be a common phenomenon in AMP interaction. Additionally, AMPs displayed a sharp increase in killing within a narrow dose range, contrasting with those of antibiotics. We suggest that our results could lead a way toward better evaluation of AMP application in practice and shed some light on the evolutionary consequences of antimicrobial peptide interactions within the immune system of organisms.
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44
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Investigations of the synergistic enhancement of antimicrobial activity in mixtures of magainin 2 and PGLa. Biophys Chem 2015; 210:35-44. [PMID: 26099623 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Magainins are antimicrobial peptides isolated from the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. They interact with bacterial membranes where they cause channel formation and membrane disruption. When added as a cocktail magainin 2 and PGLa are considerably more efficient when compared to the corresponding amounts of individual components. In order to investigate this synergistic interaction of PGLa and magainin a number of magainin variants have been prepared and investigated in biological and biophysical assays. In particular we report on the antimicrobial activities and solid-state NMR investigations of magainins that have been extended by a carboxyterminal GGC tripeptide to form covalently linked dimers. Notably, when the formation of the covalent linkage is prevented by exchanging the cystein by serine or alanine no loss in efficiency was observed indicating that the covalent interaction is not necessary for synergistic interaction. In a next step peptides labelled with (15)N and (2)H were reconstituted into oriented membranes and their topology studied by solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The tendency of some of these peptides to adopt membrane-spanning alignments does not correlate with their synergistic activities in antimicrobial assays. In contrast, the stable alignment of PGLa parallel to the surface of membranes made of Escherichia coli lipid extracts is strongly suggestive that the peptides develop synergistic activities when in an in-planar configuration. Notably, the phospholipid head groups of these samples show a high degree of disturbance suggesting that the synergistic interactions between the magainin peptides could be mediated through the lipid phase.
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45
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Strandberg E, Zerweck J, Horn D, Pritz G, Berditsch M, Bürck J, Wadhwani P, Ulrich AS. Influence of hydrophobic residues on the activity of the antimicrobial peptide magainin 2 and its synergy with PGLa. J Pept Sci 2015; 21:436-45. [PMID: 25898805 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Magainin 2 (MAG2) and PGLa are two related antimicrobial peptides found in the skin of the African frog Xenopus laevis with a pronounced synergistic activity, which act by permeabilizing bacterial membranes. To probe the influence of hydrophobic peptide-lipid and peptide-peptide interactions on the antimicrobial activity and on synergy, the sequence of MAG2 was modified by replacing single amino acids either with a small alanine or with the stiff and bulky hydrophobic 3-(trifluoromethyl)-L-bicyclopent-[1.1.1]-1-ylglycine side chain. The minimum inhibitory concentration of 14 MAG2 analogs was strongly influenced by these single substitutions: the antimicrobial activity was consistently improved when the hydrophobicity was increased on the hydrophobic face of the amphiphilic helix, while the activity decreased when the hydrophobicity was reduced. The synergy with PGLa, on the other hand, was rather insensitive to mutations of hydrophobic residues. It thus seems that the antimicrobial effect of MAG2 on its own depends strongly on the hydrophobicity of the peptide, while the synergy with PGLa does not depend on the overall hydrophobicity of MAG2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Strandberg
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
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46
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Han E, Lee H. Synergistic effects of magainin 2 and PGLa on their heterodimer formation, aggregation, and insertion into the bilayer. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ra08480b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of antimicrobial peptides PGLa and magainin 2 in lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eol Han
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Dankook University
- Yongin
- South Korea
| | - Hwankyu Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Dankook University
- Yongin
- South Korea
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47
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Bechinger B. The SMART model: Soft Membranes Adapt and Respond, also Transiently, in the presence of antimicrobial peptides. J Pept Sci 2014; 21:346-55. [PMID: 25522713 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Revised: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Biophysical and structural studies of peptide-lipid interactions, peptide topology and dynamics have changed our view on how antimicrobial peptides insert and interact with membranes. Clearly, both the peptides and the lipids are highly dynamic, change and mutually adapt their conformation, membrane penetration and detailed morphology on a local and a global level. As a consequence, the peptides and lipids can form a wide variety of supramolecular assemblies in which the more hydrophobic sequences preferentially, but not exclusively, adopt transmembrane alignments and have the potential to form oligomeric structures similar to those suggested by the transmembrane helical bundle model. In contrast, charged amphipathic sequences tend to stay intercalated at the membrane interface where they cause pronounced disruptions of the phospholipid fatty acyl packing. At increasing local or global concentrations, the peptides result in transient membrane openings, rupture and ultimately lysis. Depending on peptide-to-lipid ratio, lipid composition and environmental factors (temperature, buffer composition, ionic strength, etc.), the same peptide sequence can result in a variety of those responses. Therefore, the SMART model has been introduced to cover the full range of possibilities. With such a view in mind, novel antimicrobial compounds have been designed from amphipathic polymers, peptide mimetics, combinations of ultra-short polypeptides with hydrophobic anchors or small designer molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burkhard Bechinger
- Université de Strasbourg/CNRS, UMR7177, Institut de Chimie, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, 67070, Strasbourg, France
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48
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Otti O, Tragust S, Feldhaar H. Unifying external and internal immune defences. Trends Ecol Evol 2014; 29:625-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Feleucins: novel bombinin precursor-encoded nonapeptide amides from the skin secretion of Bombina variegata. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:671362. [PMID: 25003126 PMCID: PMC4070539 DOI: 10.1155/2014/671362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Revised: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The first amphibian skin antimicrobial peptide (AMP) to be identified was named bombinin, reflecting its origin from the skin of the European yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata). Bombinins and their related peptides, the bombinin Hs, were subsequently reported from other bombinid toads. Molecular cloning of bombinin-encoding cDNAs from skin found that bombinins and bombinin Hs were coencoded on the same precursor proteins. Here, we report the molecular cloning of two novel cDNAs from a skin secretion-derived cDNA library of B. variegata whose open-reading frames each encode a novel bombinin (GIGGALLNVGKVALKGLAKGLAEHFANamide) and a C-terminally located single copy of a novel nonapeptide (FLGLLGGLLamide or FLGLIGSLLamide). These novel nonapeptides were named feleucin-BV1 and feleucin-BV2, respectively. The novel bombinin exhibited 89% identity to homologues from the toads, B. microdeladigitora and B. maxima. The feleucins exhibited no identity with any amphibian AMP archived in databases. Synthetic feleucins exhibited a weak activity against Staphylococcus aureus (128–256 mg/L) but feleucin-BV1 exhibited a synergistic action with the novel bombinin. The present report clearly demonstrates that the skin secretions of bombinid toads continue to represent a source of peptides of novel structure that could provide templates for the design of therapeutics.
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50
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Conlon JM, Mechkarska M. Host-defense peptides with therapeutic potential from skin secretions of frogs from the family pipidae. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2014; 7:58-77. [PMID: 24434793 PMCID: PMC3915195 DOI: 10.3390/ph7010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Revised: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin secretions from frogs belonging to the genera Xenopus, Silurana, Hymenochirus, and Pseudhymenochirus in the family Pipidae are a rich source of host-defense peptides with varying degrees of antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicities to mammalian cells. Magainin, peptide glycine-leucine-amide (PGLa), caerulein-precursor fragment (CPF), and xenopsin-precursor fragment (XPF) peptides have been isolated from norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions from several species of Xenopus and Silurana. Hymenochirins and pseudhymenochirins have been isolated from Hymenochirus boettgeri and Pseudhymenochirus merlini. A major obstacle to the development of these peptides as anti-infective agents is their hemolytic activities against human erythrocytes. Analogs of the magainins, CPF peptides and hymenochirin-1B with increased antimicrobial potencies and low cytotoxicities have been developed that are active (MIC < 5 μM) against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Despite this, the therapeutic potential of frog skin peptides as anti-infective agents has not been realized so that alternative clinical applications as anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, or immunomodulatory drugs are being explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Conlon
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, UAE.
| | - Milena Mechkarska
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, UAE.
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