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Andrés MT, Yount NY, Acosta-Zaldívar M, Yeaman MR, Fierro JF. The Archetypal Gamma-Core Motif of Antimicrobial Cys-Rich Peptides Inhibits H +-ATPases in Target Pathogens. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9672. [PMID: 39273619 PMCID: PMC11395145 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179672] [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: 08/13/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Human lactoferrin (hLf) is an innate host defense protein that inhibits microbial H+-ATPases. This protein includes an ancestral structural motif (i.e., γ-core motif) intimately associated with the antimicrobial activity of many natural Cys-rich peptides. Peptides containing a complete γ-core motif from hLf or other phylogenetically diverse antimicrobial peptides (i.e., afnA, SolyC, PA1b, PvD1, thanatin) showed microbicidal activity with similar features to those previously reported for hLf and defensins. Common mechanistic characteristics included (1) cell death independent of plasma membrane (PM) lysis, (2) loss of intracellular K+ (mediated by Tok1p K+ channels in yeast), (3) inhibition of microbicidal activity by high extracellular K+, (4) influence of cellular respiration on microbicidal activity, (5) involvement of mitochondrial ATP synthase in yeast cell death processes, and (6) increment of intracellular ATP. Similar features were also observed with the BM2 peptide, a fungal PM H+-ATPase inhibitor. Collectively, these findings suggest host defense peptides containing a homologous γ-core motif inhibit PM H+-ATPases. Based on this discovery, we propose that the γ-core motif is an archetypal effector involved in the inhibition of PM H+-ATPases across kingdoms of life and contributes to the in vitro microbicidal activity of Cys-rich antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- María T Andrés
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology (LMO), Clinical University of Odontology (CLUO), University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- SamerLabs SL, Asturias Technology Park, 33428 Llanera, Asturias, Spain
| | - Nannette Y Yount
- Divisions of Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County (LAC)-Harbor University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Institute for Infection & Immunity, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor UCLA, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Maikel Acosta-Zaldívar
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology (LMO), Clinical University of Odontology (CLUO), University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Michael R Yeaman
- Divisions of Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County (LAC)-Harbor University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Institute for Infection & Immunity, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor UCLA, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - José F Fierro
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology (LMO), Clinical University of Odontology (CLUO), University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Functional Biology (Microbiology), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
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2
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Du B, Haensch R, Alfarraj S, Rennenberg H. Strategies of plants to overcome abiotic and biotic stresses. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1524-1536. [PMID: 38561998 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13079] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
In their environment, plants are exposed to a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses that differ in intensity, duration and severity. As sessile organisms, they cannot escape these stresses, but instead have developed strategies to overcome them or to compensate for the consequences of stress exposure. Defence can take place at different levels and the mechanisms involved are thought to differ in efficiency across these levels. To minimise metabolic constraints and to reduce the costs of stress defence, plants prioritise first-line defence strategies in the apoplastic space, involving ascorbate, defensins and small peptides, as well as secondary metabolites, before cellular processes are affected. In addition, a large number of different symplastic mechanisms also provide efficient stress defence, including chemical antioxidants, antioxidative enzymes, secondary metabolites, defensins and other peptides as well as proteins. At both the symplastic and the apoplastic level of stress defence and compensation, a number of specialised transporters are thought to be involved in exchange across membranes that still have not been identified, and information on the regeneration of different defence compounds remains ambiguous. In addition, strategies to overcome and compensate for stress exposure operate not only at the cellular, but also at the organ and whole-plant levels, including stomatal regulation, and hypersensitive and systemic responses to prevent or reduce the spread of stress impacts within the plant. Defence can also take place at the ecosystem level by root exudation of signalling molecules and the emission of volatile organic compounds, either directly or indirectly into the rhizosphere and/or the aboveground atmosphere. The mechanisms by which plants control the production of these compounds and that mediate perception of stressful conditions are still not fully understood. Here we summarise plant defence strategies from the cellular to ecosystem level, discuss their advantages and disadvantages for plant growth and development, elucidate the current state of research on the transport and regeneration capacity of defence metabolites, and outline insufficiently explored questions for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoguo Du
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Ecological Security and Protection Key laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University, Mianxing Road West 166, Mianyang, 621000, PR China
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53, Freiburg, D-79110, Germany
| | - Robert Haensch
- Institute of Plant Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Humboldtstr. 1, Braunschweig, D-38106, Germany
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Saleh Alfarraj
- King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Heinz Rennenberg
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53, Freiburg, D-79110, Germany
- Center of Molecular Ecophysiology (CMEP), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
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Chekan JR, Mydy LS, Pasquale MA, Kersten RD. Plant peptides - redefining an area of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides. Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:1020-1059. [PMID: 38411572 PMCID: PMC11253845 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00042g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Covering 1965 to February 2024Plants are prolific peptide chemists and are known to make thousands of different peptidic molecules. These peptides vary dramatically in their size, chemistry, and bioactivity. Despite their differences, all plant peptides to date are biosynthesized as ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Decades of research in plant RiPP biosynthesis have extended the definition and scope of RiPPs from microbial sources, establishing paradigms and discovering new families of biosynthetic enzymes. The discovery and elucidation of plant peptide pathways is challenging due to repurposing and evolution of housekeeping genes as both precursor peptides and biosynthetic enzymes and due to the low rates of gene clustering in plants. In this review, we highlight the chemistry, biosynthesis, and function of the known RiPP classes from plants and recommend a nomenclature for the recent addition of BURP-domain-derived RiPPs termed burpitides. Burpitides are an emerging family of cyclic plant RiPPs characterized by macrocyclic crosslinks between tyrosine or tryptophan side chains and other amino acid side chains or their peptide backbone that are formed by copper-dependent BURP-domain-containing proteins termed burpitide cyclases. Finally, we review the discovery of plant RiPPs through bioactivity-guided, structure-guided, and gene-guided approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Chekan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA.
| | - Lisa S Mydy
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Michael A Pasquale
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA.
| | - Roland D Kersten
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Resende LM, de Oliveira Mello É, Zeraik AE, Oliveira APBF, Souza TAM, Taveira GB, Moreira FF, Seabra SH, Ferreira AT, Perales J, de Oliveira Carvalho A, Rodrigues R, Gomes VM. Defensin-like peptides from Capsicum chinense induce increased ROS, loss of mitochondrial functionality, and reduced growth of the fungus Colletotrichum scovillei. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:3567-3577. [PMID: 38459870 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
In the present study, we identified and characterized two defensin-like peptides in an antifungal fraction obtained from Capsicum chinense pepper fruits and inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum scovillei, which causes anthracnose. AMPs were extracted from the pericarp of C. chinense peppers and subjected to ion exchange, molecular exclusion, and reversed-phase in a high-performance liquid chromatography system. We investigated the endogenous increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), the loss of mitochondrial functioning, and the ultrastructure of hyphae. The peptides obtained from the G3 fraction through molecular exclusion chromatography were subsequently fractionated using reverse-phase chromatography, resulting in the isolation of fractions F1, F2, F3, F4, and F5. The F1-Fraction suppressed C. scovillei growth by 90, 70.4, and 44% at 100, 50, and 25 μg mL-1, respectively. At 24 h, the IC50 and minimum inhibitory concentration were 21.5 μg mL-1 and 200 μg mL-1, respectively. We found an increase in ROS, which may have resulted in an oxidative burst, loss of mitochondrial functioning, and cytoplasm retraction, as well as an increase in autophagic vacuoles. MS/MS analysis of the F1-Fraction indicated the presence of two defensin-like proteins, and we were able to identify the expression of three defensin sequences in our C. chinense fruit extract. The F1-Fraction was also found to inhibit the activity of insect α-amylases. In summary, the F1-Fraction of C. chinense exhibits antifungal activity against a major pepper pathogen that causes anthracnose. These defensin-like compounds are promising prospects for further research into antifungal and insecticide biotechnology applications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Maximano Resende
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Érica de Oliveira Mello
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Ana Eliza Zeraik
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteinas e Peptídeos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Arielle Pinheiro Bessiati Fava Oliveira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Thaynã Amanda Melo Souza
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Bonan Taveira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Felipe Figueiroa Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Henrique Seabra
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | | | - Jonas Perales
- Laboratório de Toxinologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André de Oliveira Carvalho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Rosana Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Melhoramento Genético Vegetal, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual Do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Valdirene Moreira Gomes
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Microrganismos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
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5
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Ganeshkumar A, Muthuselvam M, de Lima PMN, Rajaram R, Junqueira JC. Current Perspectives of Antifungal Therapy: A Special Focus on Candida auris. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:408. [PMID: 38921394 PMCID: PMC11205254 DOI: 10.3390/jof10060408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging Candida sp. that has rapidly spread all over the world. The evidence regarding its origin and emerging resistance is still unclear. The severe infection caused by this species results in significant mortality and morbidity among the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. The development of drug resistance is the major factor associated with the therapeutic failure of existing antifungal agents. Previous studies have addressed the antifungal resistance profile and drug discovery for C. auris. However, complete coverage of this information in a single investigation is not yet available. In this review, we have mainly focused on recent developments in therapeutic strategies against C. auris. Based on the available information, several different approaches were discussed, including existing antifungal drugs, chemical compounds, essential oils, natural products, antifungal peptides, immunotherapy, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, drug repurposing, and drug delivery systems. Among them, synthetic chemicals, natural products, and antifungal peptides are the prime contributors. However, a limited number of resources are available to prove the efficiency of these potential therapies in clinical usage. Therefore, we anticipate that the findings gathered in this review will encourage further in vivo studies and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arumugam Ganeshkumar
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos 12245-000, SP, Brazil;
- Department of Materials Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMTS), Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Manickam Muthuselvam
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Patricia Michelle Nagai de Lima
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos 12245-000, SP, Brazil;
| | - Rajendren Rajaram
- Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos 12245-000, SP, Brazil;
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6
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Finkina EI, Shevchenko OV, Fateeva SI, Tagaev AA, Ovchinnikova TV. Antifungal Plant Defensins as an Alternative Tool to Combat Candidiasis. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1499. [PMID: 38891308 PMCID: PMC11174490 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Currently, the spread of fungal infections is becoming an urgent problem. Fungi of the Candida genus are opportunistic microorganisms that cause superficial and life-threatening systemic candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. The list of antifungal drugs for the treatment of candidiasis is very limited, while the prevalence of resistant strains is growing rapidly. Therefore, the search for new antimycotics, including those exhibiting immunomodulatory properties, is of great importance. Plenty of natural compounds with antifungal activities may be extremely useful in solving this problem. This review evaluates the features of natural antimicrobial peptides, namely plant defensins as possible prototypes of new anticandidal agents. Plant defensins are important components of the innate immune system, which provides the first line of defense against pathogens. The introduction presents a brief summary regarding pathogenic Candida species, the pathogenesis of candidiasis, and the mechanisms of antimycotic resistance. Then, the structural features of plant defensins, their anticandidal activities, their mechanisms of action on yeast-like fungi, their ability to prevent adhesion and biofilm formation, and their combined action with conventional antimycotics are described. The possible mechanisms of fungal resistance to plant defensins, their cytotoxic activity, and their effectiveness in in vivo experiments are also discussed. In addition, for the first time for plant defensins, knowledge about their immunomodulatory effects is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina I. Finkina
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia (T.V.O.)
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7
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Chiramba C, Möller DS, Lorenz CD, Chirombo RR, Mason AJ, Bester MJ, Gaspar ARM. Tryptophan End-Tagging Confers Antifungal Activity on a Tick-Derived Peptide by Triggering Reactive Oxygen Species Production. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:15556-15572. [PMID: 38585074 PMCID: PMC10993377 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
WHO has identified several Candida species including Candida albicans as critical priority fungal pathogens due to greater infection prevalence and formation of recalcitrant biofilms. Novel antifungal agents are urgently needed, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are being considered as potential alternatives, but inactivity in physiological salt environments, serum, and plasma often limits further therapeutic development. Tryptophan end-tagging is a strategy to overcome these limitations and is thought to selectively enhance membrane permeabilization in both fungal and bacterial plasma membranes. Here, we show that C-terminal tryptophan end-tagging of the tick-derived peptide Os-C transforms an inactive peptide into Os-C(W5), an antifungal peptide capable of preventing the formation of C. albicans biofilms. Mechanistic insight is provided by circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, which demonstrate that tryptophan end-tagging alters the secondary structure of Os-C, while the latter reveals that end-tagging reduces interactions with, and insertion into, a model C. albicans membrane but promotes peptide aggregation on its surface. Interestingly, this leads to the induction of reactive oxygen species production rather than membrane permeabilization, and consequently, oxidative stress leads to cell wall damage. Os-C(W5) does not induce the hemolysis of human erythrocytes. Reduced cell adhesion and viability contribute to decreased biofilm extracellular matrix formation which, although reduced, is retained in the serum-containing medium. In this study, tryptophan end-tagging was identified as a promising strategy for enhancing the antifungal activity, including the biofilm inhibitory activity of Os-C against C. albicans in physiological salt environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Court
K. Chiramba
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Dalton S. Möller
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | | | - Rumbidzai R. Chirombo
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - A. James Mason
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, U.K.
| | - Megan J. Bester
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Anabella R. M. Gaspar
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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Parisi K, McKenna JA, Lowe R, Harris KS, Shafee T, Guarino R, Lee E, van der Weerden NL, Bleackley MR, Anderson MA. Hyperpolarisation of Mitochondrial Membranes Is a Critical Component of the Antifungal Mechanism of the Plant Defensin, Ppdef1. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:54. [PMID: 38248963 PMCID: PMC10817573 DOI: 10.3390/jof10010054] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant defensins are a large family of small cationic proteins with diverse functions and mechanisms of action, most of which assert antifungal activity against a broad spectrum of fungi. The partial mechanism of action has been resolved for a small number of members of plant defensins, and studies have revealed that many act by more than one mechanism. The plant defensin Ppdef1 has a unique sequence and long loop 5 with fungicidal activity against a range of human fungal pathogens, but little is known about its mechanism of action. We screened the S. cerevisiae non-essential gene deletion library and identified the involvement of the mitochondria in the mechanism of action of Ppdef1. Further analysis revealed that the hyperpolarisation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) activates ROS production, vacuolar fusion and cell death and is an important step in the mechanism of action of Ppdef1, and it is likely that a similar mechanism acts in Trichophyton rubrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Parisi
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - James A. McKenna
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Rohan Lowe
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Karen S. Harris
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Thomas Shafee
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
| | - Rosemary Guarino
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Eunice Lee
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Nicole L. van der Weerden
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Mark R. Bleackley
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
| | - Marilyn A. Anderson
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Hexima Ltd., Preston 3072, Australia
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Zhou Y, Meng X, Chen F, Xiong M, Zhang W, Wang KJ. Newly Discovered Antimicrobial Peptide Scyampcin 44-63 from Scylla paramamosain Exhibits a Multitargeted Candidacidal Mechanism In Vitro and Is Effective in a Murine Model of Vaginal Candidiasis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0002223. [PMID: 37162345 PMCID: PMC10269043 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00022-23] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of azole-resistant and biofilm-forming Candida spp. contributes to the constantly increasing incidence of vulvovaginal candidiasis. It is imperative to explore new antifungal drugs or potential substituents, such as antimicrobial peptides, to alleviate the serious crisis caused by resistant fungi. In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide named Scyampcin44-63 was identified in the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. Scyampcin44-63 exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi, was particularly effective against planktonic and biofilm cells of Candida albicans, and exhibited no cytotoxicity to mammalian cells (HaCaT and RAW264.7) or mouse erythrocytes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed four potential candidacidal modes of Scyampcin44-63, including promotion of apoptosis and autophagy and inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis and the cell cycle. Further study showed that Scyampcin44-63 caused damage to the plasma membrane and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M in C. albicans. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that Scyampcin44-63-treated C. albicans cells were deformed with vacuolar expansion and destruction of organelles. In addition, C. albicans cells pretreated with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine significantly delayed the candidacidal effect of Scyampcin44-63, suggesting that Scyampcin44-63 might contribute to autophagic cell death. In a murine model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, the fungal burden of vaginal lavage was significantly decreased after treatment with Scyampcin44-63.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiangyu Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Fangyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ming Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Weibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ke-Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Flores-Alvarez LJ, Jiménez-Alcántar P, Ochoa-Zarzosa A, López-Meza JE. The Antimicrobial Peptide γ-Thionin from Habanero Chile ( Capsicum chinense) Induces Caspase-Independent Apoptosis on Human K562 Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells and Regulates Epigenetic Marks. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093661. [PMID: 37175071 PMCID: PMC10180109 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a relevant health problem worldwide. In 2020, leukemias represented the 13th most commonly reported cancer cases worldwide but the 10th most likely to cause deaths. There has been a progressive increase in the efficacy of treatments for leukemias; however, these still generate important side effects, so it is imperative to search for new alternatives. Defensins are a group of antimicrobial peptides with activity against cancer cells. However, the cytotoxic mechanism of these peptides has been described mainly for animal defensins. This study shows that defensin γ-thionin (Capsicum chinense) is cytotoxic to the K562 leukemia cells with an IC50 = 290 μg/mL (50.26 μM) but not for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results showed that γ-thionin did not affect the membrane potential; however, the peptide modified the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and the intracellular calcium release. In addition, γ-thionin induced apoptosis in K562 cells, but the activation of caspases 8 and 9 was not detected. Moreover, the activation of calpains was detected at one hour of treatment, suggesting that γ-thionin activates the caspase-independent apoptosis. Furthermore, the γ-thionin induced epigenetic modifications on histone 3 in K562 cells, increased global acetylation (~2-fold), and specific acetylation marks at lysine 9 (H3K9Ac) (~1.5-fold). In addition, γ-thionin increased the lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me) and dimethylation marks (H3K9me2) (~2-fold), as well as the trimethylation mark (H3K9me3) (~2-fold). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a defensin that triggers caspase-independent apoptosis in cancer cells via calpains and regulating chromatin remodelation, a novel property for a plant defensin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis José Flores-Alvarez
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia C.P. 58893, Mexico
| | - Paola Jiménez-Alcántar
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia C.P. 58893, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Ochoa-Zarzosa
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia C.P. 58893, Mexico
| | - Joel E López-Meza
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, Morelia C.P. 58893, Mexico
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11
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Breukers J, Ven K, Struyfs C, Ampofo L, Rutten I, Imbrechts M, Pollet F, Van Lent J, Kerstens W, Noppen S, Schols D, De Munter P, Thibaut HJ, Vanhoorelbeke K, Spasic D, Declerck P, Cammue BPA, Geukens N, Thevissen K, Lammertyn J. FLUIDOT: A Modular Microfluidic Platform for Single-Cell Study and Retrieval, with Applications in Drug Tolerance Screening and Antibody Mining. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2201477. [PMID: 36642827 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in lab-on-a-chip technologies have revolutionized the single-cell analysis field. However, an accessible platform for in-depth screening and specific retrieval of single cells, which moreover enables studying diverse cell types and performing various downstream analyses, is still lacking. As a solution, FLUIDOT is introduced, a versatile microfluidic platform incorporating customizable microwells, optical tweezers and an interchangeable cell-retrieval system. Thanks to its smart microfluidic design, FLUIDOT is straightforward to fabricate and operate, rendering the technology widely accessible. The performance of FLUIDOT is validated and its versatility is subsequently demonstrated in two applications. First, drug tolerance in yeast cells is studied, resulting in the discovery of two treatment-tolerant populations. Second, B cells from convalescent COVID-19 patients are screened, leading to the discovery of highly affine, in vitro neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Owing to its performance, flexibility, and accessibility, it is foreseen that FLUIDOT will enable phenotypic and genotypic analysis of diverse cell samples and thus elucidate unexplored biological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Breukers
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
- LISCO, KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics, ON4 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Karen Ven
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
- LISCO, KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics, ON4 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Louanne Ampofo
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- PharmAbs, The KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, ON 2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Iene Rutten
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
- LISCO, KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics, ON4 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Maya Imbrechts
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- PharmAbs, The KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, ON 2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Francesca Pollet
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Julie Van Lent
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Winnie Kerstens
- Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Rega - Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Sam Noppen
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Rega - Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Dominique Schols
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Rega - Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Paul De Munter
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, UZ Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Clinical Infectious and Inflammatory Disorders, KU Leuven, UZ Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Jan Thibaut
- Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Rega - Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Karen Vanhoorelbeke
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- PharmAbs, The KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, ON 2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, Kortrijk, 8500, Belgium
| | - Dragana Spasic
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Paul Declerck
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- PharmAbs, The KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, ON 2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Bruno P A Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Nick Geukens
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- PharmAbs, The KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, ON 2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- Department of Biosystems, Biosensors group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
- LISCO, KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics, ON4 Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- MabMine: KU Leuven Single B Cell Mining Platform, KU Leuven, ON2 Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- LIMNI, KU Leuven Institute for Micro- and Nanoscale Integration, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
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12
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Mulla JA, Tamhane VA. Novel insights into plant defensin ingestion induced metabolic responses in the polyphagous insect pest Helicoverpa armigera. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3151. [PMID: 36823197 PMCID: PMC9950371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29250-3] [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: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lepidopteran insect pest Helicoverpa armigera is one of the most destructive pests of crop plants and several biotechnological approaches are being developed for its control. Plant defensins are small cationic and cysteine-rich peptides that play a role in plant defense. Ingestion of a defensin from Capsicum annuum (CanDef-20) induced a dose-dependent reduction in larval and pupal mass, delayed metamorphosis and also severely reduced fecundity and fertility in H. armigera. To understand the molecular mechanisms of CanDef-20 ingestion-mediated antibiosis in H. armigera larvae, a comparative transcriptomics analysis was carried out. Predominant downregulation of GOs represents serine-type endopeptidases, structural constituents of ribosomes and integral membrane components and differential upregulation of ATP binding, nucleus and translation, while up-regulation of nucleic acid binding represented by transposable elements, were detected. Different isoforms of lipase, serine endopeptidase, glutathione S-transferase, cadherin, alkaline phosphatase and aminopeptidases were found to be upregulated as a compensatory response to CanDef-20 ingestion. In vitro enzyme assays and qPCR analysis of some representative genes associated with vital cellular processes like metamorphosis, food digestion and gut membrane indicated adaptive differential regulations in CanDef-20 fed H. armigera larvae. We conclude that CanDef-20 ingestion affects insect metabolism in a number of ways through its interaction with cell membrane, enzymes, cytoplasmic proteins and triggering transposon mobilization which are linked to growth retardation and adaptive strategies in H. armigera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed A. Mulla
- grid.32056.320000 0001 2190 9326Department of Biotechnology (Jointly Merged With Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology (IBB)), Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra 411007 India
| | - Vaijayanti A. Tamhane
- grid.32056.320000 0001 2190 9326Department of Biotechnology (Jointly Merged With Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology (IBB)), Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra 411007 India
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Histidine 19 Residue Is Essential for Cell Internalization of Antifungal Peptide SmAPα1-21 Derived from the α-Core of the Silybum marianum Defensin DefSm2-D in Fusarium graminearum. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11111501. [PMID: 36358156 PMCID: PMC9686561 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11111501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The synthetic peptide SmAPα1-21 (KLCEKPSKTWFGNCGNPRHCG) derived from DefSm2-D defensin α-core is active at micromolar concentrations against the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum and has a multistep mechanism of action that includes alteration of the fungal cell wall and membrane permeabilization. Here, we continued the study of this peptide’s mode of action and explored the correlation between the biological activity and its primary structure. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the ultrastructural effects of SmAPα1-21 in conidial cells. New peptides were designed by modifying the parent peptide SmAPα1-21 (SmAPH19R and SmAPH19A, where His19 was replaced by Arg or Ala, respectively) and synthesized by the Fmoc solid phase method. Antifungal activity was determined against F. graminearum. Membrane permeability and subcellular localization in conidia were studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was assessed by fluorescence spectroscopy and CLSM. SmAPα1-21 induced peroxisome biogenesis and oxidative stress through ROS production in F. graminearum and was internalized into the conidial cells’ cytoplasm. SmAPH19R and SmAPH19A were active against F. graminearum with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 38 and 100 µM for SmAPH19R and SmAPH19A, respectively. The replacement of His19 by Ala produced a decrease in the net charge with a significant increase in the MIC, thus evidencing the importance of the positive charge in position 19 of the antifungal peptide. Like SmAPα1-21, SmAP2H19A and SmAP2H19R produced the permeabilization of the conidia membrane and induced oxidative stress through ROS production. However, SmAPH19R and SmAPH19A were localized in the conidia cell wall. The replacement of His19 by Ala turned all the processes slower. The extracellular localization of peptides SmAPH19R and SmAPH19A highlights the role of the His19 residue in the internalization.
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14
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Perez-Rodriguez A, Eraso E, Quindós G, Mateo E. Antimicrobial Peptides with Anti-Candida Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169264. [PMID: 36012523 PMCID: PMC9409312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoses are accountable for millions of infections yearly worldwide. Invasive candidiasis is the most usual, presenting a high morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans remains the prevalent etiologic agent, but the incidence of other species such as Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida auris keeps increasing. These pathogens frequently show a reduced susceptibility to commonly used antifungal drugs, including polyenes, triazoles and echinocandins, and the incidence of emerging multi-drug-resistant strains of these species continues to increase. Therefore, the need to search for new molecules that target these pathogenic species in a different manner is now more urgent than ever. Nature is an almost endless source of interesting new molecules that could meet this need. Among these molecules, antimicrobial peptides, present in different sources in nature, possess some advantages over conventional antifungal agents, even with their own drawbacks, and are considered as a promising pharmacological option against a wide range of microbial infections. In this review, we describe 20 antimicrobial peptides from different origins that possess an activity against Candida.
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Leannec-Rialland V, Atanasova V, Chereau S, Tonk-Rügen M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Richard-Forget F. Use of Defensins to Develop Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Synthetic Fungicides to Control Phytopathogenic Fungi and Their Mycotoxins. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:229. [PMID: 35330231 PMCID: PMC8950385 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Crops are threatened by numerous fungal diseases that can adversely affect the availability and quality of agricultural commodities. In addition, some of these fungal phytopathogens have the capacity to produce mycotoxins that pose a serious health threat to humans and livestock. To facilitate the transition towards sustainable environmentally friendly agriculture, there is an urgent need to develop innovative methods allowing a reduced use of synthetic fungicides while guaranteeing optimal yields and the safety of the harvests. Several defensins have been reported to display antifungal and even-despite being under-studied-antimycotoxin activities and could be promising natural molecules for the development of control strategies. This review analyses pioneering and recent work addressing the bioactivity of defensins towards fungal phytopathogens; the details of approximately 100 active defensins and defensin-like peptides occurring in plants, mammals, fungi and invertebrates are listed. Moreover, the multi-faceted mechanism of action employed by defensins, the opportunity to optimize large-scale production procedures such as their solubility, stability and toxicity to plants and mammals are discussed. Overall, the knowledge gathered within the present review strongly supports the bright future held by defensin-based plant protection solutions while pointing out the obstacles that still need to be overcome to translate defensin-based in vitro research findings into commercial products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Leannec-Rialland
- Université de Bordeaux, UR1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), INRAE, 33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France;
| | - Vessela Atanasova
- UR1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), INRAE, 33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France; (V.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Sylvain Chereau
- UR1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), INRAE, 33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France; (V.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Miray Tonk-Rügen
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany;
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Justus Liebig University, Wilhelmstrasse 20, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR Parasitic Molecular Biology and Immunology (BIPAR), Laboratoire de Santé Animale, INRAE, 94700 Maison-Alfort, France
| | - Florence Richard-Forget
- UR1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), INRAE, 33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France; (V.A.); (S.C.)
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16
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Struyfs C, Breukers J, Spasic D, Lammertyn J, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. Multiplex Analysis to Unravel the Mode of Antifungal Activity of the Plant Defensin HsAFP1 in Single Yeast Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031515. [PMID: 35163438 PMCID: PMC8836000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Single cell analyses have gained increasing interest over bulk approaches because of considerable cell-to-cell variability within isogenic populations. Herein, flow cytometry remains golden standard due to its high-throughput efficiency and versatility, although it does not allow to investigate the interdependency of cellular events over time. Starting from our microfluidic platform that enables to trap and retain individual cells on a fixed location over time, here, we focused on unraveling kinetic responses of single Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells upon treatment with the antifungal plant defensin HsAFP1. We monitored the time between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane permeabilization (MP) in single yeast cells for different HsAFP1 doses using two fluorescent dyes with non-overlapping spectra. Within a time frame of 2 min, only <0.3% cells displayed time between the induction of ROS and MP. Reducing the time frame to 30 s did not result in increased numbers of cells with time between these events, pointing to ROS and MP induction as highly dynamic and correlated processes. In conclusion, using an in-house developed continuous microfluidic platform, we investigated the mode of action of HsAFP1 at single cell level, thereby uncovering the close interdependency between ROS induction and MP in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (C.S.); (B.P.A.C.)
| | - Jolien Breukers
- Biosensors Group, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.B.); (D.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Dragana Spasic
- Biosensors Group, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.B.); (D.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- Biosensors Group, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.B.); (D.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Bruno P. A. Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (C.S.); (B.P.A.C.)
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (C.S.); (B.P.A.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-16-32-96-88
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Luo X, Wu W, Feng L, Treves H, Ren M. Short Peptides Make a Big Difference: The Role of Botany-Derived AMPs in Disease Control and Protection of Human Health. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11363. [PMID: 34768793 PMCID: PMC8583512 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111363] [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: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Botany-derived antimicrobial peptides (BAMPs), a class of small, cysteine-rich peptides produced in plants, are an important component of the plant immune system. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated their powerful antimicrobial activity. Besides in plants, BAMPs have cross-kingdom applications in human health, with toxic and/or inhibitory effects against a variety of tumor cells and viruses. With their diverse molecular structures, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, multiple mechanisms of action, and low cytotoxicity, BAMPs provide ideal backbones for drug design, and are potential candidates for plant protection and disease treatment. Lots of original research has elucidated the properties and antimicrobial mechanisms of BAMPs, and characterized their surface receptors and in vivo targets in pathogens. In this paper, we review and introduce five kinds of representative BAMPs belonging to the pathogenesis-related protein family, dissect their antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer mechanisms, and forecast their prospects in agriculture and global human health. Through the deeper understanding of BAMPs, we provide novel insights for their applications in broad-spectrum and durable plant disease prevention and control, and an outlook on the use of BAMPs in anticancer and antiviral drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiumei Luo
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (X.L.); (W.W.); (L.F.)
- Key Laboratory of Plant Hormones and Development Regulation of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Science of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Wenxian Wu
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (X.L.); (W.W.); (L.F.)
| | - Li Feng
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (X.L.); (W.W.); (L.F.)
| | - Haim Treves
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel;
| | - Maozhi Ren
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu Agricultural Science and Technology Center, Chengdu 610000, China; (X.L.); (W.W.); (L.F.)
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Science of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China
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18
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Struyfs C, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. Membrane-Interacting Antifungal Peptides. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:649875. [PMID: 33912564 PMCID: PMC8074791 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.649875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of invasive fungal infections is increasing worldwide, resulting in more than 1.6 million deaths every year. Due to growing antifungal drug resistance and the limited number of currently used antimycotics, there is a clear need for novel antifungal strategies. In this context, great potential is attributed to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are part of the innate immune system of organisms. These peptides are known for their broad-spectrum activity that can be directed toward bacteria, fungi, viruses, and/or even cancer cells. Some AMPs act via rapid physical disruption of microbial cell membranes at high concentrations causing cell leakage and cell death. However, more complex mechanisms are also observed, such as interaction with specific lipids, production of reactive oxygen species, programmed cell death, and autophagy. This review summarizes the structure and mode of action of antifungal AMPs, thereby focusing on their interaction with fungal membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno P A Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Reactive oxygen mediated apoptosis as a therapeutic approach against opportunistic Candida albicans. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 125:25-49. [PMID: 33931141 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Candida albicans are polymorphic fungal species commonly occurs in a symbiotic association with the host's usual microflora. Certain specific changes in its usual microenvironment can lead to diseases ranging from external mucosal to severally lethal systemic infections like invasive candidiasis hospital-acquired fatal infection caused by different species of Candida. The patient acquired with this infection has a high mortality and morbidity rate, ranging from 40% to 60%. This is an ill-posed problem by its very nature. Hence, early diagnosis and management is a crucial part. Antifungal drug resistance against the first and second generation of antifungal drugs has made it difficult to treat such fatal diseases. After a few dormant years, recently, there has been a rapid turnover of identifying novel drugs with low toxicity to limit the problem of drug resistance. After an initial overview of related work, we examine specific prior work on how a change in oxidative stress can facilitate apoptosis in C. albicans. Subsequently, it was investigated that Candida spp. suppresses the production of ROS mediated host defense system. Here, we have reviewed possibly all the small molecule inhibitors, natural products, antimicrobial peptide, and some naturally derived semi-synthetic compounds which are known to influence oxidative stress, to generate a proper apoptotic response in C. albicans and thus might be a novel therapeutic approach to augment the current treatment options.
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20
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Chen H, Li H, Duan C, Song C, Peng Z, Li H, Shi W. Reversal of azole resistance in Candida albicans by oridonin. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2021; 24:296-302. [PMID: 33513441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2020.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Candida albicans is a yeast that causes fungal infections with high mortality and is typically resistant to azole drugs. To overcome this resistance, we explored the combined use of oridonin (ORI) and three azole drugs, namely fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITR) and voriconazole (VOR). Azole-resistant C. albicans strains were obtained from cancer patients and the reversal of drug resistance in these strains was investigated. METHODS The synergistic antifungal activity of ORI and azole drugs was measured by checkerboard microdilution and time-kill assays. The resistance reversal mechanisms, namely inhibition of drug efflux and induction of apoptosis, were investigated by flow cytometry. Expression levels of the efflux pump-related genesCDR1 and CDR2 were assessed by RT-qPCR. RESULTS The efflux pump inhibition assay with ORI showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of FLC (128-fold), ITR (64-fold) and VOR (250-fold) decreased significantly. Upregulation of genes encodingCDR1 and CDR2 was confirmed in the resistant strain. The sensitising effect of ORI on FLC in the treatment of C. albicans also included the promotion of apoptosis. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that combining azoles with ORI exerted potent synergism and that ORI could promote sensitisation to azoles in azole-resistantC. albicans. The discovery that ORI can effectively inhibit drug efflux and promote apoptosis may provide new insights and therapeutic strategies to overcome increasing azole resistance in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haisheng Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Cunxian Duan
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanjie Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuoliang Peng
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenna Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
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Al Kashgry NAT, Abulreesh HH, El-Sheikh IA, Almaroai YA, Salem R, Mohamed I, Waly FR, Osman G, Mohamed MSM. Utilization of a recombinant defensin from Maize (Zea mays L.) as a potential antimicrobial peptide. AMB Express 2020; 10:208. [PMID: 33237335 PMCID: PMC7688885 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-01146-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for effective and bioactive antimicrobial molecules to encounter the medical need for new antibiotics is an encouraging area of research. Plant defensins are small cationic, cysteine-rich peptides with a stabilized tertiary structure by disulfide-bridges and characterized by a wide range of biological functions. The heterologous expression of Egyptian maize defensin (MzDef) in Escherichia coli and subsequent purification by glutathione affinity chromatography yielded 2 mg/L of recombinant defensin peptide. The glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-tagged MzDef of approximately 30 kDa in size (26 KDa GST + ~ 4 KDa MzDef peptide) was immunodetected with anti-GST antibodies. The GST-tag was successfully cleaved from the MzDef peptide by thrombin, and the removal was validated by the Tris-Tricine gel electrophoresis. The MzDef induced strong growth inhibition of Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium verticillioides, and Aspergillus niger by 94.23%, 93.34%, and 86.25%, respectively, whereas relatively weak growth inhibitory activity of 35.42% against Fusarium solani was recorded. Moreover, strong antibacterial activities were demonstrated against E. coli and Bacillus cereus and the moderate activities against Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus at all tested concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 µM). Furthermore, the in vitro MTT assay exhibited promising anticancer activity against all tested cell lines (hepatocellular carcinoma, mammary gland breast cancer, and colorectal carcinoma colon cancer) with IC50 values ranging from 14.85 to 29.85 µg/mL. These results suggest that the recombinant peptide MzDef may serve as a potential alternative antimicrobial and anticancer agent to be used in medicinal application.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hussein H Abulreesh
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
- Research Laboratories Center, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Iman A El-Sheikh
- Biology Department, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
- Research Laboratories Center, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yaser A Almaroai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
- Research Laboratories Center, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reda Salem
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), ARC, Giza, 12619, Egypt.
| | - Ismail Mohamed
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), ARC, Giza, 12619, Egypt
| | - Fatma R Waly
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), ARC, Giza, 12619, Egypt
| | - Gamal Osman
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
- Research Laboratories Center, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), ARC, Giza, 12619, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud S M Mohamed
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, 12613, Egypt
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22
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Characterization and antifungal activity of a plant peptide expressed in the interaction between Capsicum annuum fruits and the anthracnose fungus. Biosci Rep 2020; 39:221423. [PMID: 31804672 PMCID: PMC6923331 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20192803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant defensins are low molecular weight basic peptides ranging from 5 to 7 kDa, with capacity of inhibiting various pathogens, including fungi. They are present in different tissues of plants, including floral parts and fruits of Capsicum sp. The IIF48 extract, present in immature fruits of Capsicum annuum inoculated with C. gloeosporioides, was able to inhibit up to 100% growth ‘in vitro’ of the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The main objective of this work was the purification and antifungal activity characterization of a defense-related plant defensin-like isolated of the IIF48 immature fruits extract. The IIF48 extract was subjected to HPLC purification and 13 fractions were obtained, followed by a tricine gel electrophoresis to obtain the protein profile. The different fractions were submitted to a growth inhibition assay against C. gloeosporioides fungus. Fraction 7 (F7) was the most active causing 73% inhibition. Because of the higher F7 activity and the presence of only a peptide of approximately 5 kDa this fraction was subjected to N-terminal sequencing. F7 fraction was carried out plasma membrane permeabilization assays, induction of intracellular ROS production analysis and investigated mitochondrial membrane potential. The F7 fraction showed significant inhibitory activity on the tested fungus, besides promoting membrane permeabilization, induction of endogenous ROS production in Colletotrichum cells and impairing mitochondrial functionality. The first 18 amino acid sequence of the F7 fraction peptide suggests homology to plant-like defensin and was named IIFF7Ca. We also concluded that IIFF7Ca peptide has an effective antimicrobial action against the fungus C. gloeosporioides.
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23
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Antimicrobial peptides from Capsicum chinense fruits: agronomic alternatives against phytopathogenic fungi. Biosci Rep 2020; 40:226054. [PMID: 32785580 PMCID: PMC7442975 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20200950] [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: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the antimicrobial activity of peptides isolated from a wide variety of organs from plant species has been reported. However, a few studies have investigated the potential of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) found in fruits, especially Capsicum chinense (pepper). The present study aimed to purify and characterize peptides from Capsicum chinense fruits and evaluate their inhibitory activities against different phytopathogenic fungi and also analyze the possible mechanisms of action involved in microbial inhibition. After fruit protein extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), different fractions were obtained, named F1 to F10. Peptides in the F4 and F5 fractions were sequenced and revealed similarity with the plant antimicrobial peptides like non-specific lipid transfer proteins and defensin-like peptide. The F4 and F5 fractions presented strong antimicrobial activity against the fungus Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum, causing toxic effects on these fungi, leading to membrane permeabilization, endogenous reactive oxygen species increase, activation of metacaspase and loss of mitochondrial function.
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24
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Tong S, Li M, Keyhani NO, Liu Y, Yuan M, Lin D, Jin D, Li X, Pei Y, Fan Y. Characterization of a fungal competition factor: Production of a conidial cell-wall associated antifungal peptide. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008518. [PMID: 32324832 PMCID: PMC7200012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Competition is one of the fundamental driving forces of natural selection. Beauveria bassiana is a soil and plant phylloplane/root fungus capable of parasitizing insect hosts. Soil and plant environments are often enriched with other fungi against which B. bassiana competes for survival. Here, we report an antifungal peptide (BbAFP1), specifically expressed and localized to the conidial cell wall and is released into the surrounding microenvironment inhibiting growth of competing fungi. B. bassiana strains expressing BbAFP1, including overexpression strains, inhibited growth of Alternaria brassicae in co-cultured experiments, whereas targeted gene deletion of BbAFP1 significantly decreased (25%) this inhibitory effect. Recombinant BbAFP1 showed chitin and glucan binding abilities, and growth inhibition of a wide range of phytopathogenic fungi by disrupting membrane integrity and eliciting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. A phenylalanine residue (F50) contributes to chitin binding and antifungal activity, but was not required for the latter. Expression of BbAFP1 in tomato resulted in transgenic plants with enhanced resistance to plant fungal pathogens. These results highlight the importance of fungal competition in shaping primitive competition strategies, with antimicrobial compounds that can be embedded in the spore cell wall to be released into the environment during the critical initial phases of germination for successful growth in its environmental niche. Furthermore, these peptides can be exploited to increase plant resistance to fungal pathogens. Microbial competition exerts powerful selective pressures for the development of defensive and offensive methods of suppressing potential competitors. One of the most vulnerable stages for any fungi is the initial germination of resting spores in potentially hostile environments. Currently, we know little about how fungi defend other microbial competitors during the beginning stage of conidial germination. Here, we report on an antifungal peptide from B. bassiana (BbAFP1) that is specifically expressed in mature aerial conidia, with the protein localized exclusively to the conidial cell wall. The “pre-loaded” BbAFP1 is released into the surrounding microenvironment where it can act to inhibit the growth of competing fungi during the initial stages of fungal germination, i.e. largely before actual germ tubes are apparent, thus conferring an advantage to B. bassiana in out-competing susceptible competitors in the microenvironment surrounding the spore. The effects of BbAFP1 on membrane integrity were characterized and a key amino acid (F50) was shown to function in chitin binding and antifungal activity. Transgenic tomato overexpressing BbAFP1 were shown to exhibit enhanced resistance to plant fungal pathogens. Our study provides new insights into the microbial competition and genes involved in this process that can be exploited to increase plant disease resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Tong
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Maolian Li
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Nemat O. Keyhani
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P. R. China
| | - Min Yuan
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Dongmei Lin
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Dan Jin
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Xianbi Li
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Yan Pei
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Yanhua Fan
- Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
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25
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Fernández de Ullivarri M, Arbulu S, Garcia-Gutierrez E, Cotter PD. Antifungal Peptides as Therapeutic Agents. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:105. [PMID: 32257965 PMCID: PMC7089922 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi have been used since ancient times in food and beverage-making processes and, more recently, have been harnessed for the production of antibiotics and in processes of relevance to the bioeconomy. Moreover, they are starting to gain attention as a key component of the human microbiome. However, fungi are also responsible for human infections. The incidence of community-acquired and nosocomial fungal infections has increased considerably in recent decades. Antibiotic resistance development, the increasing number of immunodeficiency- and/or immunosuppression-related diseases and limited therapeutic options available are triggering the search for novel alternatives. These new antifungals should be less toxic for the host, with targeted or broader antimicrobial spectra (for diseases of known and unknown etiology, respectively) and modes of actions that limit the potential for the emergence of resistance among pathogenic fungi. Given these criteria, antimicrobial peptides with antifungal properties, i.e., antifungal peptides (AFPs), have emerged as powerful candidates due to their efficacy and high selectivity. In this review, we provide an overview of the bioactivity and classification of AFPs (natural and synthetic) as well as their mode of action and advantages over current antifungal drugs. Additionally, natural, heterologous and synthetic production of AFPs with a view to greater levels of exploitation is discussed. Finally, we evaluate the current and potential applications of these peptides, along with the future challenges relating to antifungal treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Fernández de Ullivarri
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Food Bioscience Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Sara Arbulu
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Food Bioscience Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Enriqueta Garcia-Gutierrez
- Food Bioscience Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Ireland.,Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Paul D Cotter
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Food Bioscience Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
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26
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Struyfs C, Cools TL, De Cremer K, Sampaio-Marques B, Ludovico P, Wasko BM, Kaeberlein M, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. The antifungal plant defensin HsAFP1 induces autophagy, vacuolar dysfunction and cell cycle impairment in yeast. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183255. [PMID: 32145284 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The plant defensin HsAFP1 is characterized by broad-spectrum antifungal activity and induces apoptosis in Candida albicans. In this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis on C. albicans cultures treated with HsAFP1 to gain further insight in the antifungal mode of action of HsAFP1. Various genes coding for cell surface proteins, like glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins, and proteins involved in cation homeostasis, autophagy and in cell cycle were differentially expressed upon HsAFP1 treatment. The biological validation of these findings was performed in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To discriminate between events linked to HsAFP1's antifungal activity and those that are not, we additionally used an inactive HsAFP1 mutant. We demonstrated that (i) HsAFP1-resistent S. cerevisiae mutants that are characterized by a defect in processing GPI-anchors are unable to internalize HsAFP1, and (ii) moderate doses (FC50, fungicidal concentration resulting in 50% killing) of HsAFP1 induce autophagy in S. cerevisiae, while high HsAFP1 doses result in vacuolar dysfunction. Vacuolar function is an important determinant of replicative lifespan (RLS) under dietary restriction (DR). In line, HsAFP1 specifically reduces RLS under DR. Lastly, (iii) HsAFP1 affects S. cerevisiae cell cycle in the G2/M phase. However, the latter HsAFP1-induced event is not linked to its antifungal activity, as the inactive HsAFP1 mutant also impairs the G2/M phase. In conclusion, we demonstrated that GPI-anchored proteins are involved in HsAFP1's internalization, and that HsAFP1 induces autophagy, vacuolar dysfunction and impairment of the cell cycle. Collectively, all these data provide novel insights in the mode of action of HsAFP1 as well as in S. cerevisiae tolerance mechanisms against this peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tanne L Cools
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat De Cremer
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Belém Sampaio-Marques
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4700 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Paula Ludovico
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4700 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Brian M Wasko
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 98195 Seattle, USA
| | - Matt Kaeberlein
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 98195 Seattle, USA
| | - Bruno P A Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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27
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Aumer T, Voisin SN, Knobloch T, Landon C, Bulet P. Impact of an Antifungal Insect Defensin on the Proteome of the Phytopathogenic Fungus Botrytis cinerea. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:1131-1146. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Aumer
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Sébastien N. Voisin
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archamps Technopole, 74166 Saint Julien en Genevois, France
| | - Thomas Knobloch
- Bayer SAS, Bayer CropScience, Centre de Recherche de la Dargoire, 69263 Lyon, France
| | - Céline Landon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38700 La Tronche, France
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archamps Technopole, 74166 Saint Julien en Genevois, France
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28
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Das K, Datta K, Karmakar S, Datta SK. Antimicrobial Peptides - Small but Mighty Weapons for Plants to Fight Phytopathogens. Protein Pept Lett 2019; 26:720-742. [PMID: 31215363 DOI: 10.2174/0929866526666190619112438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) have diverse structures, varied modes of actions, and can inhibit the growth of a wide range of pathogens at low concentrations. Plants are constantly under attack by a wide range of phytopathogens causing massive yield losses worldwide. To combat these pathogens, nature has armed plants with a battery of defense responses including Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs). These peptides form a vital component of the two-tier plant defense system. They are constitutively expressed as part of the pre-existing first line of defense against pathogen entry. When a pathogen overcomes this barrier, it faces the inducible defense system, which responds to specific molecular or effector patterns by launching an arsenal of defense responses including the production of AMPs. This review emphasizes the structural and functional aspects of different plant-derived AMPs, their homology with AMPs from other organisms, and how their biotechnological potential could generate durable resistance in a wide range of crops against different classes of phytopathogens in an environmentally friendly way without phenotypic cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushik Das
- Laboratory of Translational Research on Transgenic Crops, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Karabi Datta
- Laboratory of Translational Research on Transgenic Crops, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Subhasis Karmakar
- Laboratory of Translational Research on Transgenic Crops, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Swapan K Datta
- Laboratory of Translational Research on Transgenic Crops, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata 700019, West Bengal, India
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29
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Screening the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Nonessential Gene Deletion Library Reveals Diverse Mechanisms of Action for Antifungal Plant Defensins. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.01097-19. [PMID: 31451498 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01097-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant defensins are a large family of proteins, most of which have antifungal activity against a broad spectrum of fungi. However, little is known about how they exert their activity. The mechanisms of action of only a few members of the family have been investigated and, in most cases, there are still a number of unknowns. To gain a better understanding of the antifungal mechanisms of a set of four defensins, NaD1, DmAMP1, NbD6, and SBI6, we screened a pooled collection of the nonessential gene deletion set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains with increased or decreased ability to survive defensin treatment were identified based on the relative abundance of the strain-specific barcode as determined by MiSeq next-generation sequencing. Analysis of the functions of genes that are deleted in strains with differential growth in the presence of defensin provides insight into the mechanism of action. The screen identified a novel role for the vacuole in the mechanisms of action for defensins NbD6 and SBI6. The effect of these defensins on vacuoles was further confirmed by using confocal microscopy in both S. cerevisiae and the cereal pathogen Fusarium graminearum These results demonstrate the utility of this screening method to identify novel mechanisms of action for plant defensins.
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30
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Oshiro KGN, Rodrigues G, Monges BED, Cardoso MH, Franco OL. Bioactive Peptides Against Fungal Biofilms. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2169. [PMID: 31681179 PMCID: PMC6797862 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by invasive fungal biofilms have been widely associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly due to the advent of antibiotic resistance. Moreover, fungal biofilms impose an additional challenge, leading to multidrug resistance. This fact, along with the contamination of medical devices and the limited number of effective antifungal agents available on the market, demonstrates the importance of finding novel drug candidates targeting pathogenic fungal cells and biofilms. In this context, an alternative strategy is the use of antifungal peptides (AFPs) against fungal biofilms. AFPs are considered a group of bioactive molecules with broad-spectrum activities and multiple mechanisms of action that have been widely used as template molecules for drug design strategies aiming at greater specificity and biological efficacy. Among the AFP classes most studied in the context of fungal biofilms, defensins, cathelicidins and histatins have been described. AFPs can also act by preventing the formation of fungal biofilms and eradicating preformed biofilms through mechanisms associated with cell wall perturbation, inhibition of planktonic fungal cells’ adhesion onto surfaces, gene regulation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, considering the critical scenario imposed by fungal biofilms and associated infections and the application of AFPs as a possible treatment, this review will focus on the most effective AFPs described to date, with a core focus on antibiofilm peptides, as well as their efficacy in vivo, application on surfaces and proposed mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen G N Oshiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Gisele Rodrigues
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Bruna Estéfani D Monges
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Marlon Henrique Cardoso
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Octávio Luiz Franco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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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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32
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Wong JH, Ng TB, Wang H, Cheung RCF, Ng CCW, Ye X, Yang J, Liu F, Ling C, Chan K, Ye X, Chan WY. Antifungal Proteins with Antiproliferative Activity on Cancer Cells and HIV-1 Enzyme Inhibitory Activity from Medicinal Plants and Medicinal Fungi. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2019; 20:265-276. [PMID: 29895244 DOI: 10.2174/1389203719666180613085704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A variety of fungi, plants, and their different tissues are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve health, and some of them are recommended for dietary therapy. Many of these plants and fungi contain antifungal proteins and peptides which suppress spore germination and hyphal growth in phytopathogenic fungi. The aim of this article is to review antifungal proteins produced by medicinal plants and fungi used in Chinese medicine which also possess anticancer and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) enzyme inhibitory activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Ho Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hexiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Department of Microbiology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Randy Chi Fai Cheung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Charlene Cheuk Wing Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiuyun Ye
- National Engineering Laboratory for High-Efficiency Enzyme Expression and College of Biological Science and Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jie Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for High-Efficiency Enzyme Expression and College of Biological Science and Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Microbiology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen Ling
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, FL, United States
| | - Ki Chan
- Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiujuan Ye
- Key Laboratory of Plant Virology of Fujian Province, Institute of Plant Virology, and Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
| | - Wai Yee Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Aryamloo P, Asgarian-Omran H, Aslani N, Hossein-Nataj H, Shokohi T, Badali H, Nabili M, Abdollahi Gohar A, Moazeni M. Cellular apoptosis: An alternative mechanism of action for caspofungin against Candida glabrata. Curr Med Mycol 2019; 5:9-15. [PMID: 31321332 PMCID: PMC6626714 DOI: 10.18502/cmm.5.2.1155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Although the mechanism of action for echinocandins is known, the physiological mechanisms by which these antifungal agents cause cell death via the classical apoptotic pathways are not well-defined yet. Regarding this, the present study aimed to evaluate the mechanisms of caspofungin-induced Candida glabrata cell death. Materials and Methods: For the purpose of the study, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of caspofungin against C. glabrata (ATCC 90030) was determined using the broth microdilution reference method (CLSI M27-A2 and M27-S4). The annexin V and propidium iodide staining was performed to determine the way through which caspofungin acts against C. glabrata (i.e., through the induction of apoptosis and/or necrosis). Additionally, the possible effect of caspofungin on inducing the expression of two apoptotic genes, namely MCA1 and NUC, was studied using the real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Results: According to the obtained MIC value (0.5 µg/mL), C. glabrata, exposed to 0.25, 0.5, and 1 µg/mL of caspofungin, exhibited the features of late apoptosis/necrosis after 18 h of incubation. Furthermore, the use of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 µg/ml caspofungin induced apoptosis (early/late) in 14.67%, 17.04%, and 15.89% of the cells, respectively. The results showed a significant difference between the percentages of early-apoptotic cells at the three concentrations (P<0.05). In addition, the rate of necrosis was significantly greater than that of apoptosis in response to caspofungin. Accordingly, necrosis occurred in 71.26%, 71.26%, and 61.26% of the cells at the caspofungin concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 µg/mL, respectively (P<0.05). The analysis of the data in the REST software demonstrated a significant increase in the expression of MCA1 and NUC1 genes (P<0.05). Conclusion: As the findings of the present study indicated, caspofungin promoted both necrosis and apoptosis of C. glabrata cells at concentrations higher than or equal to the MIC value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Aryamloo
- Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hossein Asgarian-Omran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Immunogenetic Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Narges Aslani
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hadi Hossein-Nataj
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Tahereh Shokohi
- Invasive Fungi Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hamid Badali
- Invasive Fungi Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Nabili
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Moazeni
- Invasive Fungi Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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Wang C, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Yuan S, Ng T, Ye X. Purification of an Antifungal Peptide from Seeds of Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes and Investigation of Its Antifungal Activity and Mechanism of Action. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24071337. [PMID: 30987412 PMCID: PMC6480268 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24071337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, a 8.5-kDa antifungal peptide designated as BGAP was purified from the crude extract of the seeds of Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes by employing a protocol that comprised cation exchange chromatography on SP-Sepharose, cation exchange chromatography on Mono S and gel filtration chromatography on Superdex peptide. BGAP showed the highest amino acid sequence similarity to defensin peptides by mass spectrometric analysis. BGAP showed a broad spectrum of antifungal activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration at 17.33 μg/mL, 12.37 μg/mL, 16.81 μg/mL, and 5.60 μg/mL toward Colletotrichum higginsianum, Exserohilum turcicum, Magnaporthe oryzae and Mycosphaerella arachidicola, respectively. The antifungal activity of BGAP remained stable (i) after heat treatment at 40–100 °C for 15 min; (ii) after exposure to solutions of pH 1–3 and 11–13 for 15 min; (iii) after incubation with solutions containing K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+ or Fe3+ ions at the concentrations of 20–150 mmol/L for 2 h; and (iv) following treatment with 10% methyl alcohol, 10% ethanol, 10% isopropanol or 10% chloroform for 2 h. Fluorescence staining experiments showed that BGAP brought about an increase in cell membrane permeability, a rise in reactive oxygen species production, a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, and an accumulation of chitin at the hyphal tips of Mycosphaerella arachidicola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caicheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Yao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Susu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Tzibun Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
| | - Xiujuan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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Kumar M, Yusuf MA, Yadav P, Narayan S, Kumar M. Overexpression of Chickpea Defensin Gene Confers Tolerance to Water-Deficit Stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:290. [PMID: 30915095 PMCID: PMC6423178 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Plant defensins are mainly known for their antifungal activity. However, limited information is available regarding their function in abiotic stresses. In this study, a defensin gene, Ca-AFP, from Cicer arietinum, commonly known as chickpea, was cloned and transformed in Arabidopsis thaliana for its functional characterization under simulated water-deficit conditions. Under simulated water-deficit conditions (mannitol and polyethylene glycol-6000 induced), the transgenic A. thaliana plants had higher accumulation of the Ca-AFP transcript compared to that under non-stress condition and showed higher germination rate, root length, and biomass than the wild-type (WT) plants. To get further insights into the role of Ca-AFP in conferring tolerance to water-deficit stress, we determined various physiological parameters and found significant reduction in the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance whereas the net photosynthesis and water use efficiency was increased in the transgenic plants compared to that in the WT plants under water deficit conditions. The transgenic plants showed enhanced superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase activities, had higher proline, chlorophyll, and relative water content, and exhibited reduced ion leakage and malondialdehyde content under water-deficit conditions. Overall, our results indicate that overexpression of Ca-AFP could be an efficient approach for conferring tolerance to water-deficit stress in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kumar
- Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow, India
- Department of Biotechnology, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Mohd Aslam Yusuf
- Department of Bioengineering, Integral University, Lucknow, India
| | - Pooja Yadav
- Department of Biotechnology, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Shiv Narayan
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India
- *Correspondence: Manoj Kumar,
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36
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Leiter É, Csernoch L, Pócsi I. Programmed cell death in human pathogenic fungi - a possible therapeutic target. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2018; 22:1039-1048. [PMID: 30360667 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2018.1541087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Diseases caused by pathogenic fungi are increasing because of antibiotic overuse, the rise of immunosuppressive therapies, and climate change. The limited variety of antimycotics and the rapid adaptation of pathogenic fungi to antifungal agents serve to exacerbate this issue. Unfortunately, about 1.6 million people are killed by fungal infections annually. Areas covered: The discovery of the small antimicrobial proteins produced by microorganisms, animals, humans, and plants will hopefully overcome challenges in the treatment of fungal infections. These small proteins are highly stable and any resistance to them rarely evolves; therefore, they are potentially good candidates for the treatment and prevention of infections caused by pathogenic fungi. Some of these proteins target the programmed cell death machinery of pathogenic fungi; this is potentially a novel approach in antimycotic therapies. In this review, we highlight the elements of apoptosis in human pathogenic fungi and related model organisms and discuss the possible therapeutic potential of the apoptosis-inducing, small, antifungal proteins. Expert opinion: Small antimicrobial proteins may establish a new class of antimycotics in the future. The rarity of resistance and their synergistic effects with other frequently used antifungal agents may help pave the way for their use in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éva Leiter
- a Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology , University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary
| | - László Csernoch
- b Department of Physiology , University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary
| | - István Pócsi
- a Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology , University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary
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37
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Machado LESF, De Paula VS, Pustovalova Y, Bezsonova I, Valente AP, Korzhnev DM, Almeida FCL. Conformational Dynamics of a Cysteine-Stabilized Plant Defensin Reveals an Evolutionary Mechanism to Expose Hydrophobic Residues. Biochemistry 2018; 57:5797-5806. [PMID: 30207151 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sugar cane defensin 5 (Sd5) is a small antifungal protein, whose structure is held together by four conserved disulfide bridges. Sd5 and other proteins sharing a cysteine-stabilized α-β (CSαβ) fold lack a regular hydrophobic core. Instead, they are stabilized by tertiary contacts formed by surface-exposed hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues. Despite excessive cross-links, Sd5 exhibits complex millisecond conformational dynamics involving all secondary structure elements. We used Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) NMR relaxation dispersion (RD) measurements performed at different temperatures and denaturant concentrations to probe brief excursions of Sd5 to a sparsely populated "excited" state. Temperature-dependent CPMG RD experiments reveal that the excited state is enthalpically unfavorable, suggesting a rearrangement of stabilizing contacts formed by surface-exposed side chains and/or secondary structure, while the experiments performed at different denaturant concentrations suggest a decrease in accessible surface area of Sd5 in the excited state. The measured backbone 15N chemical shift changes point to a global conformational rearrangement such as a potential α- to β-transition of the Sd5 α-helix or other major secondary structure reorganization and concomitant conformational changes in other parts of the protein. Overall, the emerging picture of Sd5 dynamics suggests this protein can populate two alternative well-ordered conformational states, with the excited conformer being more compact than the native state and having a distinct secondary structure and side-chain arrangements. The observation of an energetically unfavorable yet more compact excited state reveals a remarkable evolution of the CSαβ fold to expose and reorganize hydrophobic residues, which enables the creation of versatile binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana E S F Machado
- Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Macromoléculas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (CENABIO) , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-902 , Brazil
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics , University of Connecticut Health Center , Farmington , Connecticut 06030 , United States
| | - Viviane S De Paula
- Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Macromoléculas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (CENABIO) , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-902 , Brazil
| | - Yulia Pustovalova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics , University of Connecticut Health Center , Farmington , Connecticut 06030 , United States
| | - Irina Bezsonova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics , University of Connecticut Health Center , Farmington , Connecticut 06030 , United States
| | - Ana Paula Valente
- Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Macromoléculas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (CENABIO) , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-902 , Brazil
| | - Dmitry M Korzhnev
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics , University of Connecticut Health Center , Farmington , Connecticut 06030 , United States
| | - Fabio C L Almeida
- Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Macromoléculas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (CENABIO) , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-902 , Brazil
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Regulated Cell Death as a Therapeutic Target for Novel Antifungal Peptides and Biologics. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2018; 2018:5473817. [PMID: 29854086 PMCID: PMC5944218 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5473817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The rise of microbial pathogens refractory to conventional antibiotics represents one of the most urgent and global public health concerns for the 21st century. Emergence of Candida auris isolates and the persistence of invasive mold infections that resist existing treatment and cause severe illness has underscored the threat of drug-resistant fungal infections. To meet these growing challenges, mechanistically novel agents and strategies are needed that surpass the conventional fungistatic or fungicidal drug actions. Host defense peptides have long been misunderstood as indiscriminant membrane detergents. However, evidence gathered over the past decade clearly points to their sophisticated and selective mechanisms of action, including exploiting regulated cell death pathways of their target pathogens. Such peptides perturb transmembrane potential and mitochondrial energetics, inducing phosphatidylserine accessibility and metacaspase activation in fungi. These mechanisms are often multimodal, affording target pathogens fewer resistance options as compared to traditional small molecule drugs. Here, recent advances in the field are examined regarding regulated cell death subroutines as potential therapeutic targets for innovative anti-infective peptides against pathogenic fungi. Furthering knowledge of protective host defense peptide interactions with target pathogens is key to advancing and applying novel prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures to fungal resistance and pathogenesis.
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Souza GS, de Carvalho LP, de Melo EJT, Gomes VM, Carvalho ADO. The toxic effect of Vu-Defr, a defensin from Vigna unguiculata seeds, on Leishmania amazonensis is associated with reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and plasma membrane perturbation. Can J Microbiol 2018; 64:455-464. [PMID: 29586486 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2018-0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Plant defensins are plant antimicrobial peptides that present diverse biological activities in vitro, including the elimination of Leishmania amazonensis. Plant defensins are considered promising candidates for the development of new drugs. This protozoan genus has great epidemiological importance and the mechanism behind the protozoan death by defensins is unknown, thus, we chose L. amazonensis for this study. The aim of the work was to analyze the possible toxic mechanisms of Vu-Defr against L. amazonensis. For analyses, the antimicrobial assay was repeated as previously described, and after 24 h, an aliquot of the culture was tested for viability, membrane perturbation, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) inductions. The results of these analyses indicated that after interaction with L. amazonensis, the Vu-Defr causes elimination of promastigotes from culture, membrane perturbation, mitochondrial membrane collapse, and ROS induction. Our analysis demonstrated that NO is not produced after Vu-Defr and L. amazonensis interaction. In conclusion, our work strives to help to fill the gap relating to effects caused by plant defensins on protozoan and thus better understand the mechanism of action of this peptide against L. amazonensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géssika Silva Souza
- a Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Micro-organismos, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lais Pessanha de Carvalho
- b Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Edésio José Tenório de Melo
- b Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Valdirene Moreira Gomes
- a Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Micro-organismos, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André de Oliveira Carvalho
- a Laboratório de Fisiologia e Bioquímica de Micro-organismos, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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40
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Flores-Alvarez LJ, Guzmán-Rodríguez JJ, López-Gómez R, Salgado-Garciglia R, Ochoa-Zarzosa A, López-Meza JE. PaDef defensin from avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia) is cytotoxic to K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells through extrinsic apoptosis. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 99:10-18. [PMID: 29559362 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Revised: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Plant defensins, a group of antimicrobial peptides, show selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cells. However, their mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of PaDef defensin from avocado (Persea americana var. drymifolia) on K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells and analyzed the pathway involved in the induction of cell death. The defensin PaDef was not cytotoxic against human PBMCs; however, it was cytotoxic for K562 cell line (IC50 = 97.3 μg/ml) activating apoptosis at 12 h. PaDef did not affect the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), neither the transmembranal potential or the release of intracellular calcium. Also, PaDef induced gene expression of caspase 8 (∼2 fold), TNF-α (∼4 fold) and TNFR1 (∼10 fold). In addition, the activation of caspase 8 was detected at 24 h, whereas caspase 9 activity was not modified, suggesting that the extrinsic apoptosis pathway could be activated. In conclusion, PaDef induces apoptosis on K562 cells, which is related to the activation of caspase 8 and involves the participation of TNF-α, which is a novel property for a plant defensin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis José Flores-Alvarez
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Jaquelina Julia Guzmán-Rodríguez
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Rodolfo López-Gómez
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Rafael Salgado-Garciglia
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Alejandra Ochoa-Zarzosa
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, México
| | - Joel E López-Meza
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Km 9.5 Carretera Morelia-Zinapécuaro, Posta Veterinaria, C.P. 58893, Morelia, Michoacán, México.
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41
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Parisi K, Shafee TMA, Quimbar P, van der Weerden NL, Bleackley MR, Anderson MA. The evolution, function and mechanisms of action for plant defensins. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 88:107-118. [PMID: 29432955 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Plant defensins are an extensive family of small cysteine rich proteins characterised by a conserved cysteine stabilised alpha beta protein fold which resembles the structure of insect and vertebrate defensins. However, secondary structure and disulphide topology indicates two independent superfamilies of defensins with similar structures that have arisen via an extreme case of convergent evolution. Defensins from plants and insects belong to the cis-defensin superfamily whereas mammalian defensins belong to the trans-defensin superfamily. Plant defensins are produced by all species of plants and although the structure is highly conserved, the amino acid sequences are highly variable with the exception of the cysteine residues that form the stabilising disulphide bonds and a few other conserved residues. The majority of plant defensins are components of the plant innate immune system but others have evolved additional functions ranging from roles in sexual reproduction and development to metal tolerance. This review focuses on the antifungal mechanisms of plant defensins. The activity of plant defensins is not limited to plant pathogens and many of the described mechanisms have been elucidated using yeast models. These mechanisms are more complex than simple membrane permeabilisation induced by many small antimicrobial peptides. Common themes that run through the characterised mechanisms are interactions with specific lipids, production of reactive oxygen species and induction of cell wall stress. Links between sequence motifs and functions are highlighted where appropriate. The complexity of the interactions between plant defensins and fungi helps explain why this protein superfamily is ubiquitous in plant innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Parisi
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas M A Shafee
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pedro Quimbar
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicole L van der Weerden
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark R Bleackley
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marilyn A Anderson
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
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42
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Moreels L, Peigneur S, Yamaguchi Y, Vriens K, Waelkens E, Zhu S, Thevissen K, Cammue BPA, Sato K, Tytgat J. Expanding the pharmacological profile of κ-hefutoxin 1 and analogues: A focus on the inhibitory effect on the oncogenic channel K v10.1. Peptides 2017; 98:43-50. [PMID: 27578329 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Peptide toxins, such as scorpion peptides, are interesting lead compounds in the search for novel drugs. In this paper, the focus is on the scorpion peptide κ-hefutoxin 1. This peptide displays a cysteine-stabilized helix-loop-helix fold (CSα/α) and is known to be a weak Kv1.x inhibitor. Due to the low affinity of κ-hefutoxin 1 for these channels, it is assumed that the main target(s) of κ-hefutoxin 1 remain(s) unknown. In order to identify novel targets, electrophysiological measurements and antifungal assays were performed. The effect of κ-hefutoxin 1 was previously evaluated on a panel of 11 different voltage-gated potassium channels. Here, we extended this target screening with the oncogenic potassium channel Kv10.1. κ-Hefutoxin 1 was able to inhibit this channel in a dose-dependent manner (IC50∼26μM). Although the affinity is rather low, this is the first peptide toxin ever described to be a Kv10.1 inhibitor. The structure-activity relationship of κ-hefutoxin 1 on Kv10.1 was investigated by testing eight κ-hefutoxin 1 variants using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Several important amino acid residues were identified; the functional dyad residues (Tyr5 and Lys19), N-terminal residues (Gly1 and His2) and the amidated C-terminal residue (Cys22). Since the CSα/α fold is also found in a class of antifungal plant peptides, the α-hairpinines, we investigated the antifungal activity of κ-hefutoxin 1. κ-Hefutoxin 1 showed low activity against the plant pathogen Fusarium culmorum and no activity against three other yeast and fungal species, even at high concentrations (∼100μM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Moreels
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Yoko Yamaguchi
- Department of Environmental Science, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka 813-8529, Japan.
| | - Kim Vriens
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, PO Box 2460, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Etienne Waelkens
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N1, Herestraat 49, PO Box 901, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects & Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, PO Box 2460, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Bruno P A Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, PO Box 2460, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Kazuki Sato
- Department of Environmental Science, Fukuoka Women's University, Fukuoka 813-8529, Japan.
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, PO Box 922, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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43
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Cools TL, Vriens K, Struyfs C, Verbandt S, Ramada MHS, Brand GD, Bloch C, Koch B, Traven A, Drijfhout JW, Demuyser L, Kucharíková S, Van Dijck P, Spasic D, Lammertyn J, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. The Antifungal Plant Defensin HsAFP1 Is a Phosphatidic Acid-Interacting Peptide Inducing Membrane Permeabilization. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2295. [PMID: 29209301 PMCID: PMC5702387 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HsAFP1, a plant defensin isolated from coral bells (Heuchera sanguinea), is characterized by broad-spectrum antifungal activity. Previous studies indicated that HsAFP1 binds to specific fungal membrane components, which had hitherto not been identified, and induces mitochondrial dysfunction and cell membrane permeabilization. In this study, we show that HsAFP1 reversibly interacts with the membrane phospholipid phosphatidic acid (PA), which is a precursor for the biosynthesis of other phospholipids, and to a lesser extent with various phosphatidyl inositol phosphates (PtdInsP's). Moreover, via reverse ELISA assays we identified two basic amino acids in HsAFP1, namely histidine at position 32 and arginine at position 52, as well as the phosphate group in PA as important features enabling this interaction. Using a HsAFP1 variant, lacking both amino acids (HsAFP1[H32A][R52A]), we showed that, as compared to the native peptide, the ability of this variant to bind to PA and PtdInsP's is reduced (≥74%) and the antifungal activity of the variant is reduced (≥2-fold), highlighting the link between PA/PtdInsP binding and antifungal activity. Using fluorescently labelled HsAFP1 in confocal microscopy and flow cytometry assays, we showed that HsAFP1 accumulates at the cell surface of yeast cells with intact membranes, most notably at the buds and septa. The resulting HsAFP1-induced membrane permeabilization is likely to occur after HsAFP1's internalization. These data provide novel mechanistic insights in the mode of action of the HsAFP1 plant defensin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanne L Cools
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kim Vriens
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sara Verbandt
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marcelo H S Ramada
- Graduate Program in Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Guilherme D Brand
- Chemistry Institute, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Carlos Bloch
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Barbara Koch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Ana Traven
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jan W Drijfhout
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Demuyser
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Soňa Kucharíková
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Van Dijck
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Bruno P A Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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44
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Increasing the Fungicidal Action of Amphotericin B by Inhibiting the Nitric Oxide-Dependent Tolerance Pathway. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2017; 2017:4064628. [PMID: 29129987 PMCID: PMC5654257 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4064628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Amphotericin B (AmB) induces oxidative and nitrosative stresses, characterized by production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, in fungi. Yet, how these toxic species contribute to AmB-induced fungal cell death is unclear. We investigated the role of superoxide and nitric oxide radicals in AmB's fungicidal activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using a digital microfluidic platform, which enabled monitoring individual cells at a spatiotemporal resolution, and plating assays. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME was used to interfere with nitric oxide radical production. L-NAME increased and accelerated AmB-induced accumulation of superoxide radicals, membrane permeabilization, and loss of proliferative capacity in S. cerevisiae. In contrast, the nitric oxide donor S-nitrosoglutathione inhibited AmB's action. Hence, superoxide radicals were important for AmB's fungicidal action, whereas nitric oxide radicals mediated tolerance towards AmB. Finally, also the human pathogens Candida albicans and Candida glabrata were more susceptible to AmB in the presence of L-NAME, pointing to the potential of AmB-L-NAME combination therapy to treat fungal infections.
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45
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Pinheiro AM, Carreira A, Prescott TAK, Ferreira RB, Monteiro SA. Bridging the Gap to Non-toxic Fungal Control: Lupinus-Derived Blad-Containing Oligomer as a Novel Candidate to Combat Human Pathogenic Fungi. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1182. [PMID: 28702011 PMCID: PMC5487463 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of antifungal drugs with novel modes of action reaching the clinic is a serious concern. Recently a novel antifungal protein referred to as Blad-containing oligomer (BCO) has received regulatory approval as an agricultural antifungal agent. Interestingly its spectrum of antifungal activity includes human pathogens such as Candida albicans, however, its mode of action has yet to be elucidated. Here we demonstrate that BCO exerts its antifungal activity through inhibition of metal ion homeostasis which results in apoptotic cell death in C. albicans. HIP HOP profiling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a panel of signature strains that are characteristic for common modes of action identified hypersensitivity in yeast lacking the iron-dependent transcription factor Aft1 suggesting restricted iron uptake as a mode of action. Furthermore, global transcriptome profiling in C. albicans also identified disruption of metal ion homeostasis as a potential mode of action. Experiments were carried out to assess the effect of divalent metal ions on the antifungal activity of BCO revealing that BCO activity is antagonized by metal ions such as Mn2+, Zn2+, and Fe2+. The transcriptome profile also implicated sterol synthesis as a possible secondary mode of action which was subsequently confirmed in sterol synthesis assays in C. albicans. Animal models for toxicity showed that BCO is generally well tolerated and presents a promising safety profile as a topical applied agent. Given its potent broad spectrum antifungal activity and novel multitarget mode of action, we propose BCO as a promising new antifungal agent for the topical treatment of fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M Pinheiro
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Carreira
- CEV, SA, Parque Industrial de Cantanhede/Biocant-ParkCantanhede, Portugal
| | | | - Ricardo B Ferreira
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - Sara A Monteiro
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal.,CEV, SA, Parque Industrial de Cantanhede/Biocant-ParkCantanhede, Portugal
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46
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Soliman S, Alnajdy D, El-Keblawy AA, Mosa KA, Khoder G, Noreddin AM. Plants' Natural Products as Alternative Promising Anti- Candida Drugs. Pharmacogn Rev 2017; 11:104-122. [PMID: 28989245 PMCID: PMC5628516 DOI: 10.4103/phrev.phrev_8_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida is a serious life-threatening pathogen, particularly with immunocompromised patients. Candida infections are considered as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in a broad range of immunocompromised patients. Candida infections are common in hospitalized patients and elderly people. The difficulty to eradicate Candida infections is owing to its unique switch between yeast and hyphae forms and more likely to biofilm formations that render resistance to antifungal therapy. Plants are known sources of natural medicines. Several plants show significant anti-Candida activities and some of them have lower minimum inhibitory concentration, making them promising candidates for anti-Candida therapy. However, none of these plant products is marketed for anti-Candida therapy because of lack of sufficient information about their efficacy, toxicity, and kinetics. This review revises major plants that have been tested for anti-Candida activities with recommendations for further use of some of these plants for more investigation and in vivo testing including the use of nanostructure lipid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameh Soliman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Dina Alnajdy
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ali A. El-Keblawy
- Department of Applied Biology, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kareem A. Mosa
- Department of Applied Biology, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ghalia Khoder
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ayman M. Noreddin
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Chapman University, Irvine, California, USA
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47
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Menzel LP, Chowdhury HM, Masso-Silva JA, Ruddick W, Falkovsky K, Vorona R, Malsbary A, Cherabuddi K, Ryan LK, DiFranco KM, Brice DC, Costanzo MJ, Weaver D, Freeman KB, Scott RW, Diamond G. Potent in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of a small molecule host defense peptide mimic through a membrane-active mechanism. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4353. [PMID: 28659617 PMCID: PMC5489528 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04462-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lethal systemic fungal infections of Candida species are increasingly common, especially in immune compromised patients. By in vitro screening of small molecule mimics of naturally occurring host defense peptides (HDP), we have identified several active antifungal molecules, which also exhibited potent activity in two mouse models of oral candidiasis. Here we show that one such compound, C4, exhibits a mechanism of action that is similar to the parent HDP upon which it was designed. Specifically, its initial interaction with the anionic microbial membrane is electrostatic, as its fungicidal activity is inhibited by cations. We observed rapid membrane permeabilization to propidium iodide and ATP efflux in response to C4. Unlike the antifungal peptide histatin 5, it did not require energy-dependent transport across the membrane. Rapid membrane disruption was observed by both fluorescence and electron microscopy. The compound was highly active in vitro against numerous fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates of C. albicans and non-albicans species, and it exhibited potent, dose-dependent activity in a mouse model of invasive candidiasis, reducing kidney burden by three logs after 24 hours, and preventing mortality for up to 17 days. Together the results support the development of this class of antifungal drug to treat invasive candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo P Menzel
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - Jorge Adrian Masso-Silva
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
| | - William Ruddick
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Klaudia Falkovsky
- Department of Oral Biology, New Jersey Dental School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
| | - Rafael Vorona
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Andrew Malsbary
- Department of Oral Biology, New Jersey Dental School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
| | - Kartikeya Cherabuddi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Lisa K Ryan
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Kristina M DiFranco
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - David C Brice
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - Damian Weaver
- Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Gill Diamond
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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48
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Cools TL, Struyfs C, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. Antifungal plant defensins: increased insight in their mode of action as a basis for their use to combat fungal infections. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:441-454. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant defensins are small, cationic peptides with a highly conserved 3D structure. They have been studied extensively in the past decades. Various biological activities have been attributed to plant defensins, such as anti-insect and antimicrobial activities, but they are also known to affect ion channels and display antitumor activity. This review focuses on the structure, biological activity and antifungal mode of action of some well-characterized plant defensins, with particular attention to their fungal membrane target(s), their induced cell death mechanisms as well as their antibiofilm activity. As plant defensins are, in general, not toxic to human cells, show in vivo efficacy and have low frequencies of resistance occurrence, they are of particular interest in the fight against fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanne L Cools
- Centre of Microbial & Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial & Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno PA Cammue
- Centre of Microbial & Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial & Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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49
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Purification and characterization of peptides from Capsicum annuum fruits which are α-amylase inhibitors and exhibit high antimicrobial activity against fungi of agronomic importance. Protein Expr Purif 2017; 132:97-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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50
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Shafee TMA, Lay FT, Phan TK, Anderson MA, Hulett MD. Convergent evolution of defensin sequence, structure and function. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:663-682. [PMID: 27557668 PMCID: PMC11107677 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2344-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Defensins are a well-characterised group of small, disulphide-rich, cationic peptides that are produced by essentially all eukaryotes and are highly diverse in their sequences and structures. Most display broad range antimicrobial activity at low micromolar concentrations, whereas others have other diverse roles, including cell signalling (e.g. immune cell recruitment, self/non-self-recognition), ion channel perturbation, toxic functions, and enzyme inhibition. The defensins consist of two superfamilies, each derived from an independent evolutionary origin, which have subsequently undergone extensive divergent evolution in their sequence, structure and function. Referred to as the cis- and trans-defensin superfamilies, they are classified based on their secondary structure orientation, cysteine motifs and disulphide bond connectivities, tertiary structure similarities and precursor gene sequence. The utility of displaying loops on a stable, compact, disulphide-rich core has been exploited by evolution on multiple occasions. The defensin superfamilies represent a case where the ensuing convergent evolution of sequence, structure and function has been particularly extreme. Here, we discuss the extent, causes and significance of these convergent features, drawing examples from across the eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M A Shafee
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Fung T Lay
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Thanh Kha Phan
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Marilyn A Anderson
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Mark D Hulett
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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