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Tajer L, Paillart JC, Dib H, Sabatier JM, Fajloun Z, Abi Khattar Z. Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Peptides in the Modern Era: An Updated Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1259. [PMID: 39065030 PMCID: PMC11279074 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12071259] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious global health concern, resulting in a significant number of deaths annually due to infections that are resistant to treatment. Amidst this crisis, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics (ATBs). These cationic peptides, naturally produced by all kingdoms of life, play a crucial role in the innate immune system of multicellular organisms and in bacterial interspecies competition by exhibiting broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. AMPs target bacterial pathogens through multiple mechanisms, most importantly by disrupting their membranes, leading to cell lysis. However, bacterial resistance to host AMPs has emerged due to a slow co-evolutionary process between microorganisms and their hosts. Alarmingly, the development of resistance to last-resort AMPs in the treatment of MDR infections, such as colistin, is attributed to the misuse of this peptide and the high rate of horizontal genetic transfer of the corresponding resistance genes. AMP-resistant bacteria employ diverse mechanisms, including but not limited to proteolytic degradation, extracellular trapping and inactivation, active efflux, as well as complex modifications in bacterial cell wall and membrane structures. This review comprehensively examines all constitutive and inducible molecular resistance mechanisms to AMPs supported by experimental evidence described to date in bacterial pathogens. We also explore the specificity of these mechanisms toward structurally diverse AMPs to broaden and enhance their potential in developing and applying them as therapeutics for MDR bacteria. Additionally, we provide insights into the significance of AMP resistance within the context of host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Tajer
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, Department of Cell Culture, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (L.T.); (Z.F.)
| | - Jean-Christophe Paillart
- CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, Université de Strasbourg, 2 Allée Konrad Roentgen, F-67000 Strasbourg, France;
| | - Hanna Dib
- College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East, Egaila 54200, Kuwait;
| | - Jean-Marc Sabatier
- CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, Aix-Marseille Université, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Ziad Fajloun
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, Department of Cell Culture, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (L.T.); (Z.F.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 3, Lebanese University, Campus Michel Slayman Ras Maska, Tripoli 1352, Lebanon
| | - Ziad Abi Khattar
- Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Balamand, Kalhat, P.O. Box 100, Tripoli, Lebanon
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Brango-Vanegas J, Leite ML, Macedo MLR, Cardoso MH, Franco OL. Capping motifs in antimicrobial peptides and their relevance for improved biological activities. Front Chem 2024; 12:1382954. [PMID: 38873409 PMCID: PMC11169826 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1382954] [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: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
N-capping (N-cap) and C-capping (C-cap) in biologically active peptides, including specific amino acids or unconventional group motifs, have been shown to modulate activity against pharmacological targets by interfering with the peptide's secondary structure, thus generating unusual scaffolds. The insertion of capping motifs in linear peptides has been shown to prevent peptide degradation by reducing its susceptibility to proteolytic cleavage, and the replacement of some functional groups by unusual groups in N- or C-capping regions in linear peptides has led to optimized peptide variants with improved secondary structure and enhanced activity. Furthermore, some essential amino acid residues that, when placed in antimicrobial peptide (AMP) capping regions, are capable of complexing metals such as Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+, give rise to the family known as metallo-AMPs, which are capable of boosting antimicrobial efficacy, as well as other activities. Therefore, this review presents and discusses the different strategies for creating N- and C-cap motifs in AMPs, aiming at fine-tuning this class of antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Brango-Vanegas
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- S-inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Michel Lopes Leite
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Maria L. R. Macedo
- Laboratório de Purificação de Proteínas e suas Funções Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universitária, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Marlon H. Cardoso
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- S-inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Laboratório de Purificação de Proteínas e suas Funções Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universitária, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Octávio Luiz Franco
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- S-inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
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Blomstrand E, Posch E, Stepulane A, Rajasekharan AK, Andersson M. Antibacterial and Hemolytic Activity of Antimicrobial Hydrogels Utilizing Immobilized Antimicrobial Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4200. [PMID: 38673786 PMCID: PMC11050424 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are viewed as potential compounds for the treatment of bacterial infections. Nevertheless, the successful translation of AMPs into clinical applications has been impeded primarily due to their low stability in biological environments and potential toxicological concerns at higher concentrations. The covalent attachment of AMPs to a material's surface has been sought to improve their stability. However, it is still an open question what is required to best perform such an attachment and the role of the support. In this work, six different AMPs were covalently attached to a long-ranged ordered amphiphilic hydrogel, with their antibacterial efficacy evaluated and compared to their performance when free in solution. Among the tested AMPs were four different versions of synthetic end-tagged AMPs where the sequence was altered to change the cationic residue as well as to vary the degree of hydrophobicity. Two previously well-studied AMPs, Piscidin 1 and Omiganan, were also included as comparisons. The antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus remained largely consistent between free AMPs and those attached to surfaces. However, the activity pattern against Pseudomonas aeruginosa on hydrogel surfaces displayed a marked contrast to that observed in the solution. Additionally, all the AMPs showed varying degrees of hemolytic activity when in solution. This activity was entirely diminished, and all the AMPs were non-hemolytic when attached to the hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edvin Blomstrand
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemigården 4, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden; (E.B.); (E.P.); (A.S.)
- Amferia AB, Astra Zeneca BioVentureHub c/o Astra Zeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, SE-431 83 Mölndal, Sweden;
| | - Elin Posch
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemigården 4, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden; (E.B.); (E.P.); (A.S.)
- Amferia AB, Astra Zeneca BioVentureHub c/o Astra Zeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, SE-431 83 Mölndal, Sweden;
| | - Annija Stepulane
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemigården 4, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden; (E.B.); (E.P.); (A.S.)
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anand K. Rajasekharan
- Amferia AB, Astra Zeneca BioVentureHub c/o Astra Zeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, SE-431 83 Mölndal, Sweden;
| | - Martin Andersson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemigården 4, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden; (E.B.); (E.P.); (A.S.)
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
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Tian C, Zhao N, Yang L, Lin F, Cai R, Zhang Y, Peng J, Guo G. The antibacterial activity and mechanism of a novel peptide MR-22 against multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1334378. [PMID: 38328670 PMCID: PMC10847306 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1334378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bacterial infections have become serious threats to human health, and the excessive use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. E. coli is a human bacterial pathogen, which can cause severe infectious. Antimicrobial peptides are considered the most promising alternative to traditional antibiotics. Materials and methods The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and hemolytic activity were determined by the microdilution method. The antimicrobial kinetics of MR-22 against E. coli were studied by growth curves and time-killing curves. The cytotoxicity of MR-22 was detected by the CCK-8 assay. The antimicrobial activity of MR-22 in salt, serum, heat and trypsin was determined by the microdilution method. The antimicrobial mechanism of MR-22 against drug-resistant E. coli was studied by Scanning Electron Microscope, laser confocal microscopy, and Flow Cytometry. The in vivo antibacterial activity of MR-22 was evaluated by the mice model of peritonitis. Results and discussion In this study, MR-22 is a new antimicrobial peptide with good activity that has demonstrated against MDR E. coli. The antimicrobial activity of MR-22 exhibited stability under conditions of high temperature, 10% FBS, and Ca2+. However, a decline of the activity was observed in the presence of Na+, serum, and trypsin. MR-22 had no significant cytotoxicity or hemolysis in vitro. SEM and fluorescent images revealed that MR-22 could disrupt the integrity of cell membrane. DCFH-DA indicated that MR-22 increased the content of reactive oxygen species, while it decreased the content of intracellular ATP. In mice model of peritonitis, MR-22 exhibited potent antibacterial activity in vivo. These results indicated that MR-22 is a potential drug candidate against drug-resistant E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunren Tian
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Clinical Laboratory, Guiyang Hospital of Guizhou Aviation Industry Group, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Longbing Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Fei Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ruxia Cai
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Peng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guo Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Key and Characteristic Laboratory of Modern Pathogen Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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Gao N, Wang J, Fang C, Bai P, Sun Y, Wu W, Shan A. Combating bacterial infections with host defense peptides: Shifting focus from bacteria to host immunity. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 72:101030. [PMID: 38043443 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.101030] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections necessitates the exploration of novel paradigms for anti-infective therapy. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also known as host defense peptides (HDPs), have garnered extensive recognition as immunomodulatory molecules that leverage natural host mechanisms to enhance therapeutic benefits. The unique immune mechanism exhibited by certain HDPs that involves self-assembly into supramolecular nanonets capable of inducing bacterial agglutination and entrapping is significantly important. This process effectively prevents microbial invasion and subsequent dissemination and significantly mitigates selective pressure for the evolution of microbial resistance, highlighting the potential of HDP-based antimicrobial therapy. Recent advancements in this field have focused on developing bio-responsive materials in the form of supramolecular nanonets. A comprehensive overview of the immunomodulatory and bacteria-agglutinating activities of HDPs, along with a discussion on optimization strategies for synthetic derivatives, is presented in this article. These optimized derivatives exhibit improved biological properties and therapeutic potential, making them suitable for future clinical applications as effective anti-infective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Gao
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China.
| | - Chunyang Fang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Pengfei Bai
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Yu Sun
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Wanpeng Wu
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China.
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6
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He S, Yang Z, Li X, Wu H, Zhang L, Shan A, Wang J. Boosting stability and therapeutic potential of proteolysis-resistant antimicrobial peptides by end-tagging β-naphthylalanine. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:175-194. [PMID: 37100185 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Recently, much emphasis has been placed on solving the intrinsic defects of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), especially their susceptibility to protease digestion for the systemic application of antibacterial biomaterials. Although many strategies have increased the protease stability of AMPs, antimicrobial activity was severely compromised, thereby substantially weakening their therapeutic effect. To address this issue, we introduced hydrophobic group modifications at the N-terminus of proteolysis-resistant AMPs D1 (AArIIlrWrFR) through end-tagging with stretches of natural amino acids (W and I), unnatural amino acid (Nal) and fatty acids. Of these peptides, N1 tagged with a Nal at N-terminus showed the highest selectivity index (GMSI = 19.59), with a 6.73-fold improvement over D1. In addition to potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, N1 also exhibited high antimicrobial stability toward salts, serum and proteases in vitro and ideal biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Furthermore, N1 killed bacteria through multiple mechanisms, involving disruption of bacterial membranes and inhibition of bacterial energy metabolism. Indeed, appropriate terminal hydrophobicity modification opens up new avenues for developing and applying high-stability peptide-based antibacterial biomaterials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: To improve the potency and stability of proteolysis-resistant antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) without increasing toxicity, we constructed a convenient and tunable platform based on different compositions and lengths of hydrophobic end modifications. By tagging an Nal at the N-terminal, the obtained target compound N1 exhibited strong antimicrobial activity and desirable stability under multifarious environments in vitro (protease, salts and serum), and also showed favorable biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Notably, N1exerted its bactericidal effect by damaging bacterial cell membranes and inhibiting bacterial energy metabolism in a dual mode. The findings provide a potential method for designing or optimizing proteolysis-resistant AMPs thus promoting the development and application of peptide-based antibacterial biomaterial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi He
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Zhanyi Yang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Li
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Hua Wu
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Licong Zhang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China.
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Animal Science and Technology College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China.
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Wang X, Yang X, Wang Q, Meng D. Unnatural amino acids: promising implications for the development of new antimicrobial peptides. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:231-255. [PMID: 35254957 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2047008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The increasing incidence and rapid spread of bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics are a serious global threat to public health, highlighting the need to develop new antimicrobial alternatives. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a class of promising natural antibiotic candidates due to their broad-spectrum activity and low tendency to induce resistance. However, the development of AMPs for medical use is hampered by several obstacles, such as moderate activity, lability to proteolytic degradation, and low bioavailability. To date, many researchers have focussed on the optimization or design of novel artificial AMPs with desired properties. Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) are valuable building blocks in the manufacture of a variety of pharmaceuticals, and have been used to develop artificial AMPs with specific structural and physicochemical properties. Rational incorporation of UAAs has become a very promising approach to endow AMPs with strong and long-lasting activity but no toxicity. This review aims to summarize key approaches that have been used to incorporate UAAs to develop novel AMPs with improved properties and better performance. It is anticipated that this review will guide future design considerations for UAA-based antimicrobial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaomin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiaoe Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cosmetic, China National Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Demei Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.,Tianjin Gasin-DH Preservation Technology Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
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Deciphering Structure-Function Relationship Unveils Salt-Resistant Mode of Action of a Potent MRSA-Inhibiting Antimicrobial Peptide, RR14. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0031222. [PMID: 36377870 PMCID: PMC9765028 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00312-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria lead to considerable morbidity and mortality, threatening public health worldwide. In particular, infections of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospital and community settings are becoming a serious health problem. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered novel therapeutic targets against MDR bacteria. However, salt sensitivity reduces the bactericidal potency of AMPs, posing a major obstacle for their development as antibiotics. Thus, the design and development of salt-insensitive peptides with potent antibacterial activity is imperative. Here, we employed biochemical and biophysical examinations coupled with molecular modeling to systematically investigate the structure-function relationship of a novel salt-insensitive AMP, RR14. The secondary structure of RR14 was characterized as an apparent α-helix, a structure that confers strong membrane-permeabilizing ability targeting bacterial-mimetic membranes. Additionally, the bioactive structure of RR14 was determined in complex with dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles, where it possesses a central α-helical segment comprising residues R4 to K13 (R4-K13). RR14 was observed to orient itself into the DPC micelle with its N terminus and the α-helical segment (I5-R10) buried inside the micelles, which is essential for membrane permeabilization and bactericidal activity. Moreover, the specific and featured arrangement of positively charged residues of RR14 on its amphipathic helical conformation has great potential to render its strong salt resistance ability. Our study explored the structure-function relationship of RR14, explaining its possible mode of action against MRSA and other microbes. The insights obtained are of great applicability for the development of new antibacterial agents. IMPORTANCE Many antimicrobial peptides have been observed to become inactive in the presence of high salt concentrations. To further develop new and novel AMPs with potent bactericidal activity and salt insensitivity, understanding the structural basis for salt resistance is important. Here, we employed biochemical and biophysical examinations to systematically investigate the structure-function relationship of a novel salt-insensitive AMP, RR14. RR14 was observed to orient itself into DPC micelles with the N terminus and the α-helical segment (I5-R10) buried inside the micelles, which is essential for membrane permeabilization and bactericidal activity. Moreover, the specific and featured arrangement of cationic residues of RR14 on its amphipathic helical conformation renders its strong salt resistance ability. The insights obtained are of great applicability for developing new antibacterial agents.
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Mumtaz S, Behera S, Joshi S, Mukhopadhyay K. Efficacy and Toxicity Studies of Novel α-MSH Analogues with Antibiofilm Action and β-Lactam Resensitization Potential against MRSA. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:2480-2493. [PMID: 36440863 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a biofilm-forming recalcitrant pathogen with a multidrug-resistant profile, poses a pandemic threat to human health and is the leading cause of severe infections in both healthcare and community settings. In this study, toward designing novel α-MSH-based peptides with enhanced activity and stability against MRSA, particularly its stationary phase and biofilm, we explored a design approach to augment the hydrophobicity of an 8-mer C-terminal α-MSH(6-13)-based peptide Ana-5 through the incorporation of a bulky unnatural amino acid. The designed Ana-peptides overcame the limitation of diminished activity in biological media and exhibited enhanced antistaphylococcal activity and cell selectivity. With membrane rupture as the primary mode of action, the peptides exhibited inhibitory potential against S. aureus biofilms. Importantly, the peptides did not exhibit any adverse effects in the in vivo toxicity studies and were also able to significantly alleviate bacterial infection in a systemic infection mice model study. Additionally, the peptides retained their activity in the presence of serum and displayed a low propensity toward resistance development in MRSA cells. Moreover, the observed synergistic potential of Ana-10 with conventional antibiotics could be vital in resurrecting discarded antibiotics. Thus, this study provides us with an exciting lead, Ana-10, for further development against biofilm-based chronic S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Mumtaz
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi110067, India
| | - Swastik Behera
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi110067, India
| | - Seema Joshi
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi110067, India
| | - Kasturi Mukhopadhyay
- Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi110067, India
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10
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Kong D, Hua X, Zhou R, Cui J, Wang T, Kong F, You H, Liu X, Adu-Amankwaah J, Guo G, Zheng K, Wu J, Tang R. Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of MAF-1-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide Mt6 and Its D-Enantiomer D-Mt6 against Acinetobacter baumannii by Targeting Cell Membranes and Lipopolysaccharide Interaction. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0131222. [PMID: 36190276 PMCID: PMC9603722 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01312-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii is on the rise around the world, highlighting the urgent need for novel antimicrobial drugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) contribute to effective protection against infections by pathogens, making them the most promising options for next-generation antibiotics. Here, we report two designed, cationic, antimicrobial-derived peptides: Mt6, and its dextroisomer D-Mt6, belonging to the analogs of MAF-1, which is isolated from the instar larvae of houseflies. Both Mt6 and D-Mt6 have a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that is accompanied by strong antibacterial activities, especially against A. baumannii planktonic bacteria and biofilms. Additionally, the effect of D-Mt6 against A. baumannii is stable in a variety of physiological settings, including enzyme, salt ion, and hydrogen ion environments. Importantly, D-Mt6 cleans the bacteria on Caenorhabditis elegans without causing apparent toxicity and exhibits good activity in vivo. Both Mt6 and D-Mt6 demonstrated synergistic or additive capabilities with traditional antibiotics against A. baumannii, demonstrating their characteristics as potential complements to combination therapy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) experiments revealed that two analogs displayed rapid bactericidal activity by destroying cell membrane integrity. Furthermore, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage cells, these AMPs drastically decreased IL-1β and TNF-a gene expression and protein secretion, implying anti-inflammatory characteristics. This trait is likely due to its dual function of directly binding LPS and inhibiting the LPS-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in macrophages. Our findings suggested that D-Mt6 could be further developed as a novel antimicrobial/anti-inflammatory agent and used in the treatment of A. baumannii infections. IMPORTANCE Around 700,000 people worldwide die each year from antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Acinetobacter baumannii in clinical specimens increases year by year, and it is developing a strong resistance to clinical drugs, which is resulting in A. baumannii becoming the main opportunistic pathogen. Antimicrobial peptides show great potential as new antibacterial drugs that can replace traditional antibiotics. In our study, Mt6 and D-Mt6, two new antimicrobial peptides, were designed based on a natural peptide that we first discovered in the hemlymphocytes of housefly larvae. Both Mt6 and D-Mt6 showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, especially against A. baumannii, by damaging membrane integrity. Moreover, D-Mt6 showed better immunoregulatory activity against LPS induced inflammation through its LPS-neutralizing and suppression on MAPK signaling. This study suggested that D-Mt6 is a promising candidate drug as a derived peptide against A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delong Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xuan Hua
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jie Cui
- Department of Physiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology of Education Department of Guizhou, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Fanyun Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Hongjuan You
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiangye Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | | | - Guo Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Kuiyang Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Basic Medical Sciences Education, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jianwei Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Renxian Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Basic Medical Sciences Education, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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11
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He S, Yang Z, Li X, Wu H, Zhang L, Wang J, Shan A. Optimized proteolytic resistance motif (DabW)-based U1-2WD: A membrane-induced self-aggregating peptide to trigger bacterial agglutination and death. Acta Biomater 2022; 153:540-556. [PMID: 36162762 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The biggest application bottleneck of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is the low oral bioavailability caused by the poor stability of digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the research methods and evaluation criteria of available studies about anti-proteolytic strategies are not uniform and far from the actual environment in vivo. Here, we developed a research system and evaluation criteria for proteolytic resistance and systematically evaluated the effectiveness of different strategies for improving the protease stability of AMPs on the same platform for the first time. After a comprehensive analysis, Dab modification is identified as the most effective strategy to improve the trypsin stability of AMPs. By further modulating the proteolytic resistance optimization motif (DabW)n, U1-2WD is obtained with ideal stability and antimicrobial properties in vivo and in vitro. Notably, U1-2WD has a unique antibacterial mechanism, which forms amorphous aggregates in the bacteria environment to trigger the agglutination of bacterial cells to prevent bacterial escape. It then kills bacteria by disrupting bacterial membranes and inhibiting bacterial energy metabolism. Overall, our work has led to a new understanding of the effectiveness of proteolytic resistance strategies and accelerated the development of anti-proteolytic AMPs to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: We developed research system and evaluation criteria for proteolytic resistance and systematically evaluated the effectiveness of different strategies for improving protease stability of AMPs on the same platform for the first time. we found effective strategies to resist trypsin hydrolysis: modification with backbone (β-Arg), D-enantiomer (D-Arg) and L-2,4-diaminobutanoic acid (Dab). Further, the proteolytic resistance optimization motif (DabW)n was designed. When n=3, derivative U1-2WD was obtained with desirable stability and antimicrobial properties in vivo and in vitro. Notably, U1-2WD has a unique antibacterial mechanism, which can self-aggregate into amorphous aggregates in the bacteria environment to mediate the agglutination and sedimentation of bacterial cells to prevent bacterial escape, and then kill bacteria by destroying bacterial membranes and inhibiting bacterial energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi He
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Zhanyi Yang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Hua Wu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Licong Zhang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China.
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China.
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12
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Wesseling CJ, Martin NI. Synergy by Perturbing the Gram-Negative Outer Membrane: Opening the Door for Gram-Positive Specific Antibiotics. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1731-1757. [PMID: 35946799 PMCID: PMC9469101 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
New approaches to target antibacterial agents toward Gram-negative bacteria are key, given the rise of antibiotic resistance. Since the discovery of polymyxin B nonapeptide as a potent Gram-negative outer membrane (OM)-permeabilizing synergist in the early 1980s, a vast amount of literature on such synergists has been published. This Review addresses a range of peptide-based and small organic compounds that disrupt the OM to elicit a synergistic effect with antibiotics that are otherwise inactive toward Gram-negative bacteria, with synergy defined as a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of <0.5. Another requirement for the inclusion of the synergists here covered is their potentiation of a specific set of clinically used antibiotics: erythromycin, rifampicin, novobiocin, or vancomycin. In addition, we have focused on those synergists with reported activity against Gram-negative members of the ESKAPE family of pathogens namely, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and/or Acinetobacter baumannii. In cases where the FICI values were not directly reported in the primary literature but could be calculated from the published data, we have done so, allowing for more direct comparison of potency with other synergists. We also address the hemolytic activity of the various OM-disrupting synergists reported in the literature, an effect that is often downplayed but is of key importance in assessing the selectivity of such compounds for Gram-negative bacteria.
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13
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Bhat RAH, Thakuria D, Tandel RS, Khangembam VC, Dash P, Tripathi G, Sarma D. Tools and techniques for rational designing of antimicrobial peptides for aquaculture. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 127:1033-1050. [PMID: 35872334 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fisheries and aquaculture industries remain essential sources of food and nutrition for millions of people worldwide. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and posed a severe threat to public health. Researchers have opined that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be the best possible alternative to curb the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture. AMPs may also help to achieve the objectives of one health approach. The natural AMPs are associated with several shortcomings, like less in vivo stability, toxicity to host cell, high cost of production and low potency in a biological system. In this review, we have provided a comprehensive outline about the strategies for designing synthetic mimics of natural AMPs with high potency. Moreover, the freely available AMP databases and the information about the molecular docking tools are enlisted. We also provided in silico template for rationally designing the AMPs from fish piscidins or other peptides. The rationally designed piscidin (rP1 and rp2) may be used to tackle microbial infections in aquaculture. Further, the protocol can be used to develop the truncated mimics of natural AMPs having more potency and protease stability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dimpal Thakuria
- ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, 263136, Uttarakhand, India
| | | | - Victoria C Khangembam
- ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, 263136, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Pragyan Dash
- ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, 263136, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Gayatri Tripathi
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, 400061, Maharashtra, India
| | - Debajit Sarma
- ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, 263136, Uttarakhand, India
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14
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White JK, Muhammad T, Alsheim E, Mohanty S, Blasi-Romero A, Gunasekera S, Strömstedt AA, Ferraz N, Göransson U, Brauner A. A stable cyclized antimicrobial peptide derived from LL-37 with host immunomodulatory effects and activity against uropathogens. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:411. [PMID: 35821354 PMCID: PMC9276586 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04440-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The increasing antibiotic resistance among uropathogenic bacteria warrants alternative therapeutic strategies. We demonstrate the potential of the synthetic peptide CD4-PP, designed by dimerization and backbone cyclization of the shortest antimicrobial region of human cathelicidin, LL-37. CD4-PP is active against clinical and type strains of common uropathogens Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at concentrations substantially below cellular cytotoxic levels and induced membrane deformation and leakage in E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, CD4-PP treatment prevented the formation of new biofilm and dissolved mature biofilm created by E. coli and P. aeruginosa and targeted curli amyloid in E. coli biofilms. In addition, CD4-PP also induced production of LL-37 by uroepithelial cells and increased the expression of tight junction proteins claudin-14 and occludin. During uroepithelial cell infection, CD4-PP significantly reduced uropathogen survival when treatment was given at the start of infection. Low micromolar of CD4-PP treatment initiated after 2 h was successful with all tested species, except P. aeruginosa where CD4-PP was unable to reduce survival, which could be attributed by early biofilm formation. Finally, we demonstrated that urinary catheter pieces coated with saline fluid supplemented with CD4-PP reduced the attachment of E. coli, giving it a potential clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Kerr White
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Taj Muhammad
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Box 591, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emelie Alsheim
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Soumitra Mohanty
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Blasi-Romero
- Nanotechnology and Functional Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Box 35, 75103, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sunithi Gunasekera
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Box 591, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Adam A Strömstedt
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Box 591, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Natalia Ferraz
- Nanotechnology and Functional Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Box 35, 75103, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulf Göransson
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Box 591, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Annelie Brauner
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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15
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Li G, Yuan X, Chen H, Li B, Shao C, Zhu Y, Lai Z, Shan A. Optimization of Antibacterial Activity in Tibetan Swine α-Helix Peptide TP by Site-Directed Mutagenesis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864374. [PMID: 35859740 PMCID: PMC9289672 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted extensive attention because of their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low level of induced bacterial resistance. However, the development of some natural AMPs does not consider the perfect balance of structural characteristics, resulting in some empirical and controversial practices still existing. To further explore and complete the relationship between parameters and function of α-helix peptide, in this study, the natural antimicrobial peptide TP secreted from Bacillus strain of Tibetan pigs was selected as a template to investigate the effect of systematic mutations in the hydrogen bond formation site of the α-helical antimicrobial peptide on the activity and cell selectivity of the antimicrobial peptide. The target peptide TP(i+4) 1&2&5 with modification of two pairs of positively charged amino acids and a pair of hydrophobic amino acids showed excellent antibacterial ability and the best selectivity index (SI = 64) in vitro. At the same time, TP(i+4) 1&2&5 remained active in the presence of physiological salts and serum. The results of fluorescence, flow cytometry, and electron microscopy showed that the optimized sequences showed good antibacterial activity by membrane infiltration and membrane destruction. The potential of TP(i+4) 1&2&5 in vivo was tested in a mouse peritonitis model. Organ bacterial loads in the liver, kidney, spleen, and lungs of mice treated with TP(i+4) 1&2&5 were significantly lower compared to the infected group (p < 0.05). Overall, these findings contribute to the design and optimization of antimicrobial peptides with high activity and low toxicity and may accelerate the clinical application of antimicrobial peptides.
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16
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High Level Expression and Purification of Cecropin-like Antimicrobial Peptides in Escherichia coli. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061351. [PMID: 35740373 PMCID: PMC9220022 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cecropins are a family of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are widely found in the innate immune system of Cecropia moths. Cecropins exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The structures of Cecropins are composed of 34–39 amino acids with an N-terminal amphipathic α-helix, an AGP hinge and a hydrophobic C-terminal α-helix. KR12AGPWR6 was designed based on the Cecropin-like structural feature. In addition to its antimicrobial activities, KR12AGPWR6 also possesses enhanced salt resistance, antiendotoxin and anticancer properties. Herein, we have developed a strategy to produce recombinant KR12AGPWR6 through a salt-sensitive, pH and temperature dependent intein self-cleavage system. The His6-Intein-KR12AGPWR6 was expressed by E. coli and KR12AGPWR6 was released by the self-cleavage of intein under optimized ionic strength, pH and temperature conditions. The molecular weight and structural feature of the recombinant KR12AGPWR6 was determined by MALDI-TOF mass, CD, and NMR spectroscopy. The recombinant KR12AGPWR6 exhibited similar antimicrobial activities compared to the chemically synthesized KR12AGPWR6. Our results provide a potential strategy to obtain large quantities of AMPs and this method is feasible and easy to scale up for commercial production.
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17
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Svenson J, Molchanova N, Schroeder CI. Antimicrobial Peptide Mimics for Clinical Use: Does Size Matter? Front Immunol 2022; 13:915368. [PMID: 35720375 PMCID: PMC9204644 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.915368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for efficient antimicrobial therapies that can alleviate suffering caused by infections from resistant bacteria is more urgent than ever before. Infections caused by multi-resistant pathogens represent a significant and increasing burden to healthcare and society and researcher are investigating new classes of bioactive compounds to slow down this development. Antimicrobial peptides from the innate immune system represent one promising class that offers a potential solution to the antibiotic resistance problem due to their mode of action on the microbial membranes. However, challenges associated with pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and off-target toxicity are slowing down the advancement and use of innate defensive peptides. Improving the therapeutic properties of these peptides is a strategy for reducing the clinical limitations and synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides are emerging as a promising class of molecules for a variety of antimicrobial applications. These compounds can be made significantly shorter while maintaining, or even improving antimicrobial properties, and several downsized synthetic mimics are now in clinical development for a range of infectious diseases. A variety of strategies can be employed to prepare these small compounds and this review describes the different compounds developed to date by adhering to a minimum pharmacophore based on an amphiphilic balance between cationic charge and hydrophobicity. These compounds can be made as small as dipeptides, circumventing the need for large compounds with elaborate three-dimensional structures to generate simplified and potent antimicrobial mimics for a range of medical applications. This review highlight key and recent development in the field of small antimicrobial peptide mimics as a promising class of antimicrobials, illustrating just how small you can go.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalia Molchanova
- The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Christina I. Schroeder
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States
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18
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Greve JM, Cowan JA. Tackling antimicrobial stewardship through synergy and antimicrobial peptides. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:511-521. [PMID: 35694695 PMCID: PMC9132191 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00048b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The unrestricted use of antibiotics has led to rapid development of antibiotic resistance (AR) and renewed calls to address this serious problem. This review summarizes the most common mechanisms of antibiotic action, and in turn antibiotic resistance, as well as pathways to mitigate the harm. Focus is then turned to emerging antibiotic strategies, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), with a discussion of their modes of action, biochemical features, and potential challenges for their use as antibiotics. The role of synergy in antimicrobials is also examined, with a focus on the synergy of AMPs and other emerging interactions with synergistic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna M Greve
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University 100 West 18th Avenue Columbus Ohio 43210 USA +1 614 292 2703
| | - James A Cowan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University 100 West 18th Avenue Columbus Ohio 43210 USA +1 614 292 2703
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19
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Pandit G, Sarkar T, S. R. V, Debnath S, Satpati P, Chatterjee S. Delineating the Mechanism of Action of a Protease Resistant and Salt Tolerant Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptide against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:15951-15968. [PMID: 35571791 PMCID: PMC9097201 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rapidly growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) against antibiotics has propelled the development of synthetic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as potential antimicrobial agents. An antimicrobial peptide Nle-Dab-Trp-Nle-Dab-Dab-Nle-CONH2 (P36; Nle = norleucine, Dab = diaminobutyric acid, Trp = tryptophan) potent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) has been developed in the present study. Rational design strategy adopted in this study led to the improvisation of the therapeutic qualities such as activity, salt tolerance, cytotoxicity, and protease resistance of the template peptide P4, which was earlier reported from our group. P36 exhibited salt tolerant antimicrobial potency against P. aeruginosa, along with very low cytotoxicity against mammalian cell lines. P36 was found to be nonhemolytic and resistant toward protease degradation which qualified it as a potent antimicrobial agent. We have investigated the mechanism of action of this molecule in detail using several experimental techniques (spectroscopic, biophysical, and microscopic) and molecular dynamics simulations. P36 was a membrane active AMP with membrane destabilization and deformation abilities, leading to leakage of the intracellular materials and causing eventual cell death. The interaction between P36 and the microbial membrane/membrane mimics was primarily driven by electrostatics. P36 was unstructured in water and upon binding to the microbial membrane mimic SDS, suggesting no influence of secondary structure on its antimicrobial potency. Positive charge, optimum hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance, and chain length remained the most important concerns to be addressed while designing small cationic antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Pandit
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology.
Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Tanumoy Sarkar
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology.
Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Vignesh S. R.
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology. Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Swapna Debnath
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology.
Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Priyadarshi Satpati
- Department
of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian
Institute of Technology. Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology.
Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
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20
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Lai Z, Yuan X, Chen H, Zhu Y, Dong N, Shan A. Strategies employed in the design of antimicrobial peptides with enhanced proteolytic stability. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 59:107962. [PMID: 35452776 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Due to the alarming developing rate of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, the development and modification of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are unprecedentedly active. Despite the fact that considerable efforts have been expended on the discovery and design strategies of AMPs, the clinical translation of peptide antibiotics remains inadequate. A large number of articles and reviews credited the limited success of AMPs to their poor stability in the biological environment, particularly their poor proteolytic stability. In the past forty years, various design strategies have been used to improve the proteolytic stability of AMPs, such as sequence modification, cyclization, peptidomimetics, and nanotechnology. Herein, we focus our discussion on the progress made in improving the proteolytic stability of AMPs and the principle, successes, and limitations of various anti-proteolytic design strategies. It is of prospective significance to extend current insights into the degradation-related inactivation of AMPs and also alleviate/overcome the problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenheng Lai
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Xiaojie Yuan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Yunhui Zhu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Na Dong
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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21
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Mignone G, Shwaiki LN, Arendt EK, Coffey A. Isolation of the mustard Napin protein Allergen Sin a 1 and characterisation of its antifungal activity. Biochem Biophys Rep 2022; 29:101208. [PMID: 35079640 PMCID: PMC8777239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2022.101208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins and peptides belonging to the plant immune system can possess natural antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Due to their broad range of activity and stability, they represent promising novel alternatives to commonly used antifungal agents to fight the emergence of resistant strains. An isolation protocol was optimised to target proteins found in plants’ defence system, and it was applied to white mustard (Brassica hirta) seeds. Firstly, a ∼14 kDa protein with activity against S. cerevisiae was extracted and purified; secondly, the protein was identified as the mustard Napin protein named Allergen Sin a 1. Napin is the name given to seed storage (2S) albumin proteins belonging to the Brassicaceae family. While several Napins have been described for their antimicrobial potential, Sin a 1 has been mainly studied for its allergenic properties. The antimicrobial activity of Sin a 1 is described and characterised for the first time in this study; it possesses antifungal and antiyeast in vitro activity, but no antibacterial activity was recorded. The yeasts Zygosaccharomyces bailii Sa 1403 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae DSM 70449 along with the filamentous fungi Fusarium culmorum FST 4.05 were amongst the most senstitive strains to Sin a 1 (MICs range 3–6 μM). The antimicrobial mechanism of membrane permeabilisation was detected, and in general, the antifungal activity of Sin a 1 seemed to be expressed in a dose-dependent manner. Data collected confirmed Sin a 1 to be a stable and compact protein, as it displayed resistance to α-chymotrypsin digestion, heat denaturation and insensitivity to pH variations and the presence of salts. In addition, the protein did not show cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells. Simple purification of an antiyeast protein from white mustard seeds. Identification of the protein as the mustard Napin also classified as Allergen Sin a 1. Description of Sin a 1 antimicrobial spectrum and mode of actions against yeasts.
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23
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ELSALEM L, KHASAWNEH A, AL SHEBOUL S. WLBU2 Antimicrobial Peptide as a Potential Therapeutic for Treatment of Resistant Bacterial Infections. Turk J Pharm Sci 2022; 19:110-116. [DOI: 10.4274/tjps.galenos.2020.43078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Elsalem L, Al Sheboul S, Khasawneh A. Synergism between WLBU2 peptide and antibiotics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacter cloacae. J Appl Biomed 2021; 19:14-25. [PMID: 34907712 DOI: 10.32725/jab.2021.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacter cloacae are considered as major therapeutic challenge due to their multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype against conventional antibiotics. WLBU2 is an engineered cationic peptide with potent antimicrobial activity. This in-vitro study aimed to evaluate the effects of WLBU2 against clinical isolates of the aforementioned bacteria and assess whether synergistic effects can be achieved upon combination with conventional antibiotics. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antimicrobial agents against bacterial clinical isolates (n = 30/strain) were determined using the microbroth dilution assay. The minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of WLBU2 were determined from microbroth dilution (MICs) tests by subculturing to agar plates. MICs of WLBU2 were evaluated in the presence of physiological concentrations of salts including NaCl, CaCl2 and MgCl2. To identify bacterial resistance profile, MRSA were treated with Oxacillin, Erythromycin and Vancomycin, while Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone, Ciprofloxacin and Imipenem were used against Enterobacter cloacae. Combination treatments of antibiotics and sub-inhibitory concentrations of WLBU2 were conducted when MICs indicated intermediate/resistant susceptibility. The MICs/MBCs of WLBU2 were identical for each respective bacteria with values of 0.78-6.25 μM and 1.5-12.5 μM against MRSA and Enterobacter cloacae, respectively. WLBU2 was found as salt resistant. Combination treatment showed that synergistic and additive effects were achieved in many isolates of MRSA and Enterobacter cloacae. Our data revealed that WLBU2 is a potent peptide with bactericidal activity. In addition, it demonstrated the selective advantage of WLBU2 as a potential therapeutic agent under physiological solutions. Our findings also support the combination of WLBU2 and conventional antibiotics with potential application for treatment of resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Elsalem
- Jordan University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Suhaila Al Sheboul
- Jordan University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Ayat Khasawneh
- Jordan University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Irbid, Jordan.,The Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Department of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, Amman, Jordan
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25
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Wu CL, Peng KL, Yip BS, Chih YH, Cheng JW. Boosting Synergistic Effects of Short Antimicrobial Peptides With Conventional Antibiotics Against Resistant Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:747760. [PMID: 34733262 PMCID: PMC8558513 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.747760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The global spread of antibiotic-resistant infections has meant that there is an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial alternatives. In this study, we developed a strategy to boost and/or synergize the activity of conventional antibiotics by combination with antimicrobial peptides tagged with the bulky non-natural amino acid β-naphthylalanine (Nal) to their N- or C-terminus. A checkerboard method was used to evaluate synergistic effects of the parent peptide and the Nal-tagged peptides. Moreover, boron-dipyrro-methene labeled vancomycin was used to characterize the synergistic mechanism of action between the peptides and vancomycin on the bacterial strains. These Nal-tagged antimicrobial peptides also reduced the antibiotic-induced release of lipopolysaccharide from Gram-negative bacteria by more than 99.95%. Our results demonstrate that Nal-tagged peptides could help in developing antimicrobial peptides that not only have enhanced antibacterial activities but also increase the synergistic effects with conventional antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Lung Wu
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Kuang-Li Peng
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Bak-Sau Yip
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Han Chih
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jya-Wei Cheng
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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26
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Tram NDT, Selvarajan V, Boags A, Mukherjee D, Marzinek JK, Cheng B, Jiang ZC, Goh P, Koh JJ, Teo JWP, Bond PJ, Ee PLR. Manipulating turn residues on de novo designed β-hairpin peptides for selectivity against drug-resistant bacteria. Acta Biomater 2021; 135:214-224. [PMID: 34506975 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a useful source for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. β-hairpin peptides generally consist of two side strands bridged by a reverse turn. In literature, most studies focused on the modifications of the side strands to manipulate the stability and activity of β-hairpin peptides, and much less is known about the impact of the turn region. By designing a series of de novo β-hairpin peptides with identical side strands but varied turns, we demonstrated that mutations of only 2 to 4 amino acids at the turn region could impart a wide range of antimicrobial profiles among synthetic β-hairpin AMPs. BTT2-4 and BTT6 displayed selective potency against Gram-negative bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4-8 µM. In contrast, BTT1 exhibited broad-spectrum activity, with MICs of 4-8 µM against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Additionally, BTT1 was potent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and colistin-resistant Enterobacterales. The antimicrobial potency of BTT1 persisted after 14 days of serial passage. Mechanistic studies revealed that interactions between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the peptides were critical to their membranolytic activity against the bacterial inner membrane. Aside from folding stability, we observed that a degree of conformational flexibility was required for disruptive membrane interactions. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: By examining the significance of the turn region of β-hairpin peptides, we present valuable knowledge to the design toolkit of novel antimicrobial peptides as alternative therapeutics to overcome antibiotic resistance. Our de novo designed synthetic peptides displayed selective activity against Gram-negative bacteria and potent activity against clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant strains (e.g. colistin-resistant Enterobacterales and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). The bactericidal activity of our peptides was shown to be robust in the presence of proteolytic trypsin and saline, conditions that could suppress peptide activity. Our peptides were also determined to be non-cytotoxic against a human cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhan D T Tram
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vanitha Selvarajan
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alister Boags
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore, Singapore; School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Devika Mukherjee
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jan K Marzinek
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bernadette Cheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, 119074, Singapore , Singapore
| | - Zi-Chen Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, M5S 1A1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pascal Goh
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jun-Jie Koh
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeanette W P Teo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology Unit, National University Hospital, 119074, Singapore , Singapore
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671, Singapore, Singapore; National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, 117558, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pui Lai Rachel Ee
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, 119077, Singapore, Singapore.
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27
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Gan BH, Gaynord J, Rowe SM, Deingruber T, Spring DR. The multifaceted nature of antimicrobial peptides: current synthetic chemistry approaches and future directions. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:7820-7880. [PMID: 34042120 PMCID: PMC8689412 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00729c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial infections caused by 'superbugs' are increasing globally, and conventional antibiotics are becoming less effective against these bacteria, such that we risk entering a post-antibiotic era. In recent years, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have gained significant attention for their clinical potential as a new class of antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance. In this review, we discuss several facets of AMPs including their diversity, physicochemical properties, mechanisms of action, and effects of environmental factors on these features. This review outlines various chemical synthetic strategies that have been applied to develop novel AMPs, including chemical modifications of existing peptides, semi-synthesis, and computer-aided design. We will also highlight novel AMP structures, including hybrids, antimicrobial dendrimers and polypeptides, peptidomimetics, and AMP-drug conjugates and consider recent developments in their chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bee Ha Gan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Josephine Gaynord
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Sam M Rowe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Tomas Deingruber
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - David R Spring
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
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28
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Synergistic effect and antibiofilm activity of an antimicrobial peptide with traditional antibiotics against multi-drug resistant bacteria. Microb Pathog 2021; 158:105056. [PMID: 34153416 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Combined treatment of AMPs with classical antibiotics has gained interest because it often results in a synergistic antibacterial effect. We demonstrated here that Pt5-1c, an AMP derived from phosvitin, had antibacterial activity against the MDR bacteria (S. aureus USA500, E. coli 577 and K. pneumoniae 2182) in the presence of serum. On this basis, we showed that Pt5-1c was synergistically active with traditional antibiotics (oxacillin, vancomycin, streptomycin and azithromycin) against the three MDR bacteria growing as biofilms in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Pt5-1c restored sensitivity of S. aureus USA500 to oxacillin and vancomycin, E. coli 577 to streptomycin and K. pneumoniae 2182 to azithromycin. Importantly, long-term exposure to Pt5-1c did not give rise to antimicrobial resistance. Collectively, these data not only suggest a promising combinatorial therapy strategy to combat antibiotics-tolerant infections but also present a possibility of Pt5-1c being used to prolong the application of antibiotics including oxacillin, vancomycin, streptomycin and azithromycin, that are under threat of becoming ineffective due to antibiotic resistance.
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29
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Shwaiki LN, Lynch KM, Arendt EK. Future of antimicrobial peptides derived from plants in food application – A focus on synthetic peptides. Trends Food Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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30
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Chen J, Dai T, Yu J, Dai X, Chen R, Wu J, Li N, Fan L, Mao Z, Sheng G, Li L. Integration of antimicrobial peptides and gold nanorods for bimodal antibacterial applications. Biomater Sci 2021; 8:4447-4457. [PMID: 32691787 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm00782j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The misuse and abuse of antibiotics have given rise to a severe problem of the drug resistance of bacteria. Solving this problem has been a vitally important task in the modern medical arena. In this work, an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), BF2b, and gold nanorods (AuNRs) were used to develop a specific drug delivery system for killing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). On the one hand, BF2b has unique anti-bacterial performance and has a lower tendency than traditional antibiotics to engender the drug resistance of bacteria. On the other hand, AuNRs have diverse distinct properties, such as photo-thermal conversion, which can be employed for photo-thermal sterilization. We aimed to integrate the anti-bacterial activity of BF2b and the photo-thermal sterilization of AuNRs to kill drug-resistant bacteria. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, microBCA and zeta potential measurements were utilized to characterize the product, AuNR@PEG/BF2b. Transmittance electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and photothermal conversion measurement were conducted to verify the stability and photothermal conversion capacity of AuNR@PEG/BF2b. Cell viability and hemolysis assay were carried out to test the biocompatibility of AuNR@PEG/BF2b. Finally, the in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to demonstrate the excellent bactericidal activity of AuNR@PEG/BF2b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Chen
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China and MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Tingting Dai
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310022, China.
| | - Jiawei Yu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Xiahong Dai
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Richai Chen
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Jiajun Wu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Nan Li
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Linxiao Fan
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310022, China.
| | - Zhengwei Mao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Guoping Sheng
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310022, China.
| | - Lanjuan Li
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Shuren University, Shulan International Medical College, Hangzhou 310022, China and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310022, China.
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31
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Travers W, Kelleher F. Studies of the highly potent lantibiotic peptide nisin Z in aqueous solutions of salts and biological buffer components. Biophys Chem 2021; 274:106603. [PMID: 33945991 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The lantibiotic nisin, usually used as a 2.5%w/w in NaCl and milk solids, has activity against a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria, especially food-borne pathogens, and has been used as a food preservative for decades without the development of significant resistance. It has been reported that the high purity (>95%) nisin Z form has activity against the Gram-negative speciesE. coli, which is significantly reduced in the presence of NaCl. This current study examined, by1H NMR spectroscopy, the effects of NaCl, and a range of other salts, on the observed aqueous solution1H NMR spectra of nisin Z in the pH 3-4 range, where nisin Z has its maximum stability. Nisin's mechanism of action involves binding to the polyoxygenated pyrophosphate moiety of lipid II, and in acidic solution the positively charged C-terminus region is reported to interact with the negative sulfate groups of SDS micelles, so the study was extended to include a number of polyoxygenated anions commonly used as buffers in many biological assays. In general, the biggest changes found were in the chemical shifts of protons in the hydrophobic N-terminus region, rather than the more polar C-terminus region. The effects seen on the addition of the salts (cations and anions) were not just an overall non-specific ionic strength effect, as different salts caused different effects, in an unpredictive manner. Similarly, the polyoxygenated anions behaved differently and not predictably, and neither the cations/anions, or polyoxygenated anions, constitute a Hofmeister or inverse Hofmeister series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne Travers
- Molecular Design & Synthesis Group, Centre of Applied Science for Health, TU Dublin Tallaght, Dublin D24 FKT9, Ireland
| | - Fintan Kelleher
- Molecular Design & Synthesis Group, Centre of Applied Science for Health, TU Dublin Tallaght, Dublin D24 FKT9, Ireland.
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32
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Makhlynets OV, Caputo GA. Characteristics and therapeutic applications of antimicrobial peptides. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2021; 2:011301. [PMID: 38505398 PMCID: PMC10903410 DOI: 10.1063/5.0035731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The demand for novel antimicrobial compounds is rapidly growing due to the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. In response, numerous alternative approaches are being taken including use of polymers, metals, combinatorial approaches, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). AMPs are a naturally occurring part of the immune system of all higher organisms and display remarkable broad-spectrum activity and high selectivity for bacterial cells over host cells. However, despite good activity and safety profiles, AMPs have struggled to find success in the clinic. In this review, we outline the fundamental properties of AMPs that make them effective antimicrobials and extend this into three main approaches being used to help AMPs become viable clinical options. These three approaches are the incorporation of non-natural amino acids into the AMP sequence to impart better pharmacological properties, the incorporation of AMPs in hydrogels, and the chemical modification of surfaces with AMPs for device applications. These approaches are being developed to enhance the biocompatibility, stability, and/or bioavailability of AMPs as clinical options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Makhlynets
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, 111 College Place, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA
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33
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Dijksteel GS, Ulrich MMW, Middelkoop E, Boekema BKHL. Review: Lessons Learned From Clinical Trials Using Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs). Front Microbiol 2021; 12:616979. [PMID: 33692766 PMCID: PMC7937881 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.616979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) or host defense peptides protect the host against various pathogens such as yeast, fungi, viruses and bacteria. AMPs also display immunomodulatory properties ranging from the modulation of inflammatory responses to the promotion of wound healing. More interestingly, AMPs cause cell disruption through non-specific interactions with the membrane surface of pathogens. This is most likely responsible for the low or limited emergence of bacterial resistance against many AMPs. Despite the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the potency of novel AMPs to combat such pathogens, only a few AMPs are in clinical use. Therefore, the current review describes (i) the potential of AMPs as alternatives to antibiotics, (ii) the challenges toward clinical implementation of AMPs and (iii) strategies to improve the success rate of AMPs in clinical trials, emphasizing the lessons we could learn from these trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle S Dijksteel
- Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Beverwijk, Netherlands.,Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Magda M W Ulrich
- Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Beverwijk, Netherlands.,Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Esther Middelkoop
- Association of Dutch Burn Centres, Beverwijk, Netherlands.,Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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34
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Thota C, Mikolajczak DJ, Roth C, Koksch B. Enhancing Antimicrobial Peptide Potency through Multivalent Presentation on Coiled-Coil Nanofibrils. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:67-73. [PMID: 33488966 PMCID: PMC7812673 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant microbes have become a global health threat. New delivery systems that enhance the efficacy of antibiotics and/or overcome the resistances can help combat them. In this context, we present FF03, a fibril-forming α-helical coiled-coil peptide that functions as an efficient scaffold for the multivalent presentation of the weakly cationic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) IN4. The resulting IN4-decorated FF03 coiled-coil fibrils (FF03 + IN4) are nonhemolytic and noncytotoxic and show enhanced antimicrobial activity relative to unconjugated IN4 and standard antibiotics against several bacterial strains. Scanning electron microscopy analysis shows that FF03 + IN4 nanofibers disrupt methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus membranes, indicating a surface-level mode of action. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy and circular dichroism studies indicate that decoration of the FF03 scaffold with IN4 does not alter the secondary-structure propensity or fibril-forming properties of FF03. Thus, the approach reported herein provides a new peptidic scaffold for the multivalent presentation of AMPs to obtain nonhemolytic and noncytotoxic antimicrobial systems with improved efficacy relative to the unconjugated AMP analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitanya
Kumar Thota
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dorian J. Mikolajczak
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Roth
- Department
of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute
of Colloids and Interfaces, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Beate Koksch
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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35
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Antimicrobial Peptides with Enhanced Salt Resistance and Antiendotoxin Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186810. [PMID: 32948086 PMCID: PMC7554977 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A strategy was described to design antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with enhanced salt resistance and antiendotoxin activities by linking two helical AMPs with the Ala-Gly-Pro (AGP) hinge. Among the designed peptides, KR12AGPWR6 demonstrated the best antimicrobial activities even in high salt conditions (NaCl ~300 mM) and possessed the strongest antiendotoxin activities. These activities may be related to hydrophobicity, membrane-permeability, and α-helical content of the peptide. Amino acids of the C-terminal helices were found to affect the peptide-induced permeabilization of LUVs, the α-helicity of the designed peptides under various LUVs, and the LPS aggregation and size alternation. A possible model was proposed to explain the mechanism of LPS neutralization by the designed peptides. These findings could provide a new approach for designing AMPs with enhanced salt resistance and antiendotoxin activities for potential therapeutic applications.
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36
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Zhou X, Liu Y, Gao Y, Wang Y, Xia Q, Zhong R, Ma C, Zhou M, Xi X, Shaw C, Chen T, Wu D, Kwok HF, Wang L. Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity of N-Terminal Derivatives of a Novel Brevinin-1 Peptide from The Skin Secretion of Odorrana schmackeri. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:E484. [PMID: 32751489 PMCID: PMC7472354 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12080484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising therapeutic alternatives compared to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections. However, the application of the overwhelming majority of AMPs is limited because of the high toxicity and high manufacturing costs. Amphibian skin secretion has been proven to be a promising source for the discovery and development of novel AMPs. Herein, we discovered a novel AMP from the skin secretion of Odorrana schmackeri, and designed the analogues by altering the key factors, including conformation, net charge and amphipathicity, to generate short AMPs with enhanced therapeutic efficacy. All the peptides were chemically synthesised, followed by evaluating their biological activity, stability and cytotoxicity. OSd, OSe and OSf exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial effects, especially OSf, which presented the highest therapeutic index for the tested bacteria. Moreover, these peptides displayed good stability. The results from scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies, indicated that brevinin-OS, OSd, OSe and OSf possessed rapid bactericidal ability by disturbing membrane permeability and causing the release of cytoplasmic contents. In addition, OSd, OSe and OSf dramatically decreased the mortality of waxworms acutely infected with MRSA. Taken together, these data suggested that a balance between positive charge, degrees of α-helicity and hydrophobicity, is necessary for maintaining antimicrobial activity, and these data successfully contributed to the design of short AMPs with significant bactericidal activity and cell selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Zhou
- Department of Nutrition, Henry Fok School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaoguan University; Shaoguan 512005, China; (X.Z.); (R.Z.)
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Yue Liu
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Yitian Gao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China;
| | - Yuanxing Wang
- State Key Lab of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China;
| | - Qiang Xia
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315832, China;
| | - Ruimin Zhong
- Department of Nutrition, Henry Fok School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaoguan University; Shaoguan 512005, China; (X.Z.); (R.Z.)
| | - Chengbang Ma
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Mei Zhou
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Xinping Xi
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Chris Shaw
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Tianbao Chen
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Di Wu
- Chemical Biology Research Centre, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China;
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR
| | - Lei Wang
- Natural Drug Discovery Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK; (Y.L.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (C.S.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
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Zhu Y, Shao C, Li G, Lai Z, Tan P, Jian Q, Cheng B, Shan A. Rational Avoidance of Protease Cleavage Sites and Symmetrical End-Tagging Significantly Enhances the Stability and Therapeutic Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9421-9435. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Changxuan Shao
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Guoyu Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Zhenheng Lai
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Peng Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Qiao Jian
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Baojing Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition and Immunity. The Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, P. R. China
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Mercer DK, Torres MDT, Duay SS, Lovie E, Simpson L, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, de la Fuente-Nunez C, O'Neil DA, Angeles-Boza AM. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Antimicrobial Peptides to Better Predict Efficacy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:326. [PMID: 32733816 PMCID: PMC7358464 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) as potential therapeutics, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) stands as an essential part of the process in identification and optimisation of candidate AMP. Standard methods for AST, developed almost 60 years ago for testing conventional antibiotics, are not necessarily fit for purpose when it comes to determining the susceptibility of microorganisms to AMP. Without careful consideration of the parameters comprising AST there is a risk of failing to identify novel antimicrobials at a time when antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is leading the planet toward a post-antibiotic era. More physiologically/clinically relevant AST will allow better determination of the preclinical activity of drug candidates and allow the identification of lead compounds. An important consideration is the efficacy of AMP in biological matrices replicating sites of infection, e.g., blood/plasma/serum, lung bronchiolar lavage fluid/sputum, urine, biofilms, etc., as this will likely be more predictive of clinical efficacy. Additionally, specific AST for different target microorganisms may help to better predict efficacy of AMP in specific infections. In this manuscript, we describe what we believe are the key considerations for AST of AMP and hope that this information can better guide the preclinical development of AMP toward becoming a new generation of urgently needed antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelo D. T. Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Institute for Computational Science, and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Searle S. Duay
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Emma Lovie
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Institute for Computational Science, and Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Alfredo M. Angeles-Boza
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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Wu CL, Hsueh JY, Yip BS, Chih YH, Peng KL, Cheng JW. Antimicrobial Peptides Display Strong Synergy with Vancomycin Against Vancomycin-Resistant E. faecium, S. aureus, and Wild-Type E. coli. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134578. [PMID: 32605123 PMCID: PMC7369893 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent and imminent need to develop new antimicrobials to fight against antibiotic-resistant bacterial and fungal strains. In this study, a checkerboard method was used to evaluate the synergistic effects of the antimicrobial peptide P-113 and its bulky non-nature amino acid substituted derivatives with vancomycin against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, and wild-type Escherichia coli. Boron-dipyrro-methene (BODIPY) labeled vancomycin was used to characterize the interactions between the peptides, vancomycin, and bacterial strains. Moreover, neutralization of antibiotic-induced releasing of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli by the peptides was obtained. Among these peptides, Bip-P-113 demonstrated the best minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), antibiotics synergism, bacterial membrane permeabilization, and supernatant LPS neutralizing activities against the bacteria studied. These results could help in developing antimicrobial peptides that have synergistic activity with large size glycopeptides such as vancomycin in therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Lung Wu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; (C.-L.W.); (J.-Y.H.); (B.-S.Y.); (Y.-H.C.); (K.-L.P.)
| | - Ju-Yun Hsueh
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; (C.-L.W.); (J.-Y.H.); (B.-S.Y.); (Y.-H.C.); (K.-L.P.)
| | - Bak-Sau Yip
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; (C.-L.W.); (J.-Y.H.); (B.-S.Y.); (Y.-H.C.); (K.-L.P.)
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Han Chih
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; (C.-L.W.); (J.-Y.H.); (B.-S.Y.); (Y.-H.C.); (K.-L.P.)
| | - Kuang-Li Peng
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; (C.-L.W.); (J.-Y.H.); (B.-S.Y.); (Y.-H.C.); (K.-L.P.)
| | - Jya-Wei Cheng
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; (C.-L.W.); (J.-Y.H.); (B.-S.Y.); (Y.-H.C.); (K.-L.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-3-574-2763; Fax: +886-3-571-5934
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Antimicrobial Peptides from Rat-Tailed Maggots of the Drone Fly Eristalis tenax Show Potent Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8050626. [PMID: 32344933 PMCID: PMC7284870 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8050626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The spread of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria is an increasing threat to human health, because novel compound classes for the development of antibiotics have not been discovered for decades. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may provide a much-needed breakthrough because these immunity-related defense molecules protect many eukaryotes against Gram-negative pathogens. Recent concepts in evolutionary immunology predict the presence of potent AMPs in insects that have adapted to survive in habitats with extreme microbial contamination. For example, the saprophagous and coprophagous maggots of the drone fly Eristalis tenax (Diptera) can flourish in polluted aquatic habitats, such as sewage tanks and farmyard liquid manure storage pits. We used next-generation sequencing to screen the E. tenax immunity-related transcriptome for AMPs that are synthesized in response to the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. We identified 22 AMPs and selected nine for larger-scale synthesis to test their activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Two cecropin-like peptides (EtCec1-a and EtCec2-a) and a diptericin-like peptide (EtDip) displayed strong activity against the pathogens, even under simulated physiological conditions, and also achieved a good therapeutic window. Therefore, these AMPs could be used as leads for the development of novel antibiotics.
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41
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Elastins-Based Antimicrobial Particles for Delivery of Bioactive Compounds. Methods Mol Biol 2020. [PMID: 32152969 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0319-2_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
In the development of drug delivery systems, researchers pursue multifunctionality to target more complex problems, while maintaining biocompatibility and high encapsulation efficiency. Herein, we describe the preparation of noncytotoxic particles with intrinsic antimicrobial properties able to entrap bioactive compounds. The particles are composed of a recombinantly produced elastin-like recombinamer functionalized with an antimicrobial peptide, and are spontaneously formed in mild conditions by exploiting the thermoresponsiveness of the elastin-like portion. This chapter provides advice and methods for the preparation of the self-assembled antimicrobial particles, the evaluation of antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity, and the basis to set up the methodology for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds.
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Wu PS, Lai SJ, Fung KM, Tseng TS. Characterization of the structure–function relationship of a novel salt-resistant antimicrobial peptide, RR12. RSC Adv 2020; 10:23624-23631. [PMID: 35517355 PMCID: PMC9054785 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra04299d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potential candidates in designing new anti-infective agents. However, many AMPs show poor bactericidal activities in physical salt and serum solutions. Here, we disclosed the structure–function relationships of a novel salt-resistant antimicrobial peptide, RR12, which could further explain its mode of action and show its applicability in developing new antibacterial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potential candidates in designing new anti-infective agents.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Sheng Wu
- Division of Infectious Diseases
- Department of Pediatrics
- Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital
- Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation
- New Taipei
| | - Shu-Jung Lai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry
- Academia Sinica
- Taipei 115
- Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Kit-Man Fung
- Institute of Biological Chemistry
- Academia Sinica
- Taipei 115
- Taiwan
| | - Tien-Sheng Tseng
- Institute of Molecular Biology
- National Chung Hsing University
- Taichung
- Taiwan
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43
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Kunda NK. Antimicrobial peptides as novel therapeutics for non-small cell lung cancer. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:238-247. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Song J, Wang J, Zhan N, Sun T, Yu W, Zhang L, Shan A, Zhang A. Therapeutic Potential of Trp-Rich Engineered Amphiphiles by Single Hydrophobic Amino Acid End-Tagging. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:43820-43834. [PMID: 31687796 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b12706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
End-tagging with a single hydrophobic residue contributes to improve the cell selectivity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), but systematic studies have been lacking. Thus, this study aimed to systematically investigate how end-tagging with hydrophobic residues at the C-terminus and Gly capped at the N-terminus of W4 (RWRWWWRWR) affects the bioactivity of W4 variants. Among all the hydrophobic residues, only Ala end-tagging improved the antibacterial activity of W4. Meanwhile, Gly capped at the N-terminus could promote the helical propensity of the end-tagged peptides in dodecylphosphocholine micelles, increasing their antimicrobial activities. Of these peptides, GW4A (GRWRWWWRWRA) showed the best antibacterial activity against the 19 species of bacteria tested (GMMIC = 1.86 μM) with low toxicity, thus possessing the highest cell selectivity (TIall = 137.63). It also had rapid sterilization, good salt and serum resistance, and LPS-neutralizing activity. Antibacterial mechanism studies showed that the short peptide GW4A killed bacteria by destroying cell membrane integrity and causing cytoplasmic leakage. Overall, these findings suggested that systematic studies on terminal modifications promoted the development of peptide design theory and provided a potential method for optimization of effective AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Song
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Na Zhan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Taotao Sun
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Weikang Yu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Licong Zhang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition , Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
| | - Aizhong Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine , Bayi Agricultural University , Daqing 163000 , Heilongjiang , P. R. China
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Thery T, Lynch KM, Arendt EK. Natural Antifungal Peptides/Proteins as Model for Novel Food Preservatives. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2019; 18:1327-1360. [DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Thery
- School of Food and Nutritional SciencesUniv. College Cork Ireland
| | - Kieran M. Lynch
- School of Food and Nutritional SciencesUniv. College Cork Ireland
| | - Elke K. Arendt
- School of Food and Nutritional SciencesUniv. College Cork Ireland
- Microbiome IrelandUniv. College Cork Ireland
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46
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Barreto-Santamaría A, Patarroyo ME, Curtidor H. Designing and optimizing new antimicrobial peptides: all targets are not the same. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2019; 56:351-373. [DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2019.1631249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Barreto-Santamaría
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia - FIDIC, Receptor-Ligand Department, Bogotá D.C, Colombia
- Universidad del Rosario, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Manuel E. Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia - FIDIC, Receptor-Ligand Department, Bogotá D.C, Colombia
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Bogotá, Faculty of Medicine, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Hernando Curtidor
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia - FIDIC, Receptor-Ligand Department, Bogotá D.C, Colombia
- Universidad del Rosario, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
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47
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A Short Peptide Derived from the ZorO Toxin Functions as an Effective Antimicrobial. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11070392. [PMID: 31277504 PMCID: PMC6669753 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11070392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are potential molecules for the development of novel antibiotic agents. The ZorO toxin of a type I toxin–antitoxin system in Escherichia coli O157:H7 is composed of 29 amino acids and its endogenous expression inhibits E. coli growth. However, little is known about its inhibitory mechanism. In this study, we demonstrate that the ZorO localized in the inner membrane affects the plasma membrane integrity and potential when expressed in E. coli cells, which triggers the production of cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals. We further show that five internal amino acids (Ala–Leu–Leu–Arg–Leu; ALLRL) of ZorO are necessary for its toxicity. This result prompted us to address the potential of the synthetic ALLRL peptide as an antimicrobial. Exogenously-added ALLRL peptide to Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, and a fungus, Candida albicans, trigger cell membrane damage and exhibit growth defect, while having no effect on Gram-negative bacterium, E. coli. The ALLRL peptide retains its activity under the physiological salt concentrations, which is in contrast to natural antimicrobial peptides. Importantly, this peptide has no toxicity against mammalian cells. Taken together, an effective and short peptide, ALLRL, would be an attractive antimicrobial to Gram-positive bacteria and C. albicans.
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48
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Tanhaeian A, Damavandi MS, Mansury D, Ghaznini K. Expression in eukaryotic cells and purification of synthetic gene encoding enterocin P: a bacteriocin with broad antimicrobial spectrum. AMB Express 2019; 9:6. [PMID: 30617751 PMCID: PMC6323060 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-018-0729-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, treatment options for infectious diseases are decreasing. Bacteriocins are small antimicrobial peptides produced by numerous bacteria that offer alternative therapeutic strategies to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. We evaluated the cloning, functional expression, and antimicrobial activities of enterocin P (EntP), a class II bacteriocin member, in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. A synthetic gene matching CHO cell codon usage was designed from the known mature amino acid sequence of EntP and cloned into the protein expression vector pcDNA™3.1(+). CHO cells were transformed with the recombinant plasmid and cultured, and the recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography. Antimicrobial activities of the recombinant EntP were evaluated on Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and multidrug-resistant pathogens. Recombinant EntP inhibited growth of a variety of bacteria, including pathogenic species known to cause nosocomial infections, often with multidrug-resistant strains. In addition, recombinant EntP demonstrated broad antimicrobial activities in both high salt medium and human plasma and was stable at high temperatures. The broad antimicrobial activity and stability of EntP make it an attractive therapeutic candidate, particularly for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
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Luppi L, Babut T, Petit E, Rolland M, Quemener D, Soussan L, Moradi MA, Semsarilar M. Antimicrobial polylysine decorated nano-structures prepared through polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA). Polym Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c8py01351a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Polylysine decorated diblock copolymer nano-objects are prepared by polymerization-induced self-assemblyviaRAFT dispersion polymerization of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate. Antimicrobial properties of the resulting nano-objects evaluated using a gram positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Luppi
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
| | - T. Babut
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
| | - E. Petit
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
| | - M. Rolland
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
| | - D. Quemener
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
| | - L. Soussan
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
| | - M. A. Moradi
- Laboratory of Materials and Interface Chemistry and Centre for Multiscale Electron Microscopy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
- Eindhoven University of Technology
- Eindhoven
- The Netherlands
| | - M. Semsarilar
- Institut Européen des Membranes
- IEM
- UMR 5635
- University of Montpellier
- ENSCM
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50
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Lee MR, Raman N, Ortiz-Bermúdez P, Lynn DM, Palecek SP. 14-Helical β-Peptides Elicit Toxicity against C. albicans by Forming Pores in the Cell Membrane and Subsequently Disrupting Intracellular Organelles. Cell Chem Biol 2018; 26:289-299.e4. [PMID: 30581136 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic peptidomimetics of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising antimicrobial drug candidates because they promote membrane disruption and exhibit greater structural and proteolytic stability than natural AMPs. We previously reported selective antifungal 14-helical β-peptides, but the mechanism of antifungal toxicity of β-peptides remains unknown. To provide insight into the mechanism, we studied antifungal β-peptide binding to artificial membranes and living Candida albicans cells. We investigated the ability of β-peptides to interact with and permeate small unilamellar vesicle models of fungal membranes. The partition coefficient supported a pore-mediated mechanism characterized by the existence of a critical β-peptide concentration separating low- and high-partition coefficient regimes. Live cell intracellular tracking of β-peptides showed that β-peptides translocated into the cytoplasm, and then disrupted the nucleus and vacuole sequentially, leading to cell death. This understanding of the mechanisms of antifungal activity will facilitate design and development of peptidomimetic AMPs, including 14-helical β-peptides, for antifungal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung-Ryul Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Namrata Raman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Patricia Ortiz-Bermúdez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
| | - David M Lynn
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Sean P Palecek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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