scholarly journals Novel Antimicrobial Peptides from the Arctic Polychaeta Nicomache minor Provide New Molecular Insight into Biological Role of the BRICHOS Domain

Marine Drugs ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Panteleev ◽  
Andrey Tsarev ◽  
Ilia Bolosov ◽  
Alexander Paramonov ◽  
Mariana Marggraf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Membrane Damage ◽  
Disulfide Bridge ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Host Defense Peptides ◽  
Sequence Region ◽  
Α Helix

Endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are among the earliest molecular factors in the evolution of animal innate immunity. In this study, novel AMPs named nicomicins were identified in the small marine polychaeta Nicomache minor in the Maldanidae family. Full-length mRNA sequences encoded 239-residue prepropeptides consisting of a putative signal sequence region, the BRICHOS domain within an acidic proregion, and 33-residue mature cationic peptides. Nicomicin-1 was expressed in the bacterial system, and its spatial structure was analyzed by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Nicomicins are unique among polychaeta AMPs scaffolds, combining an amphipathic N-terminal α-helix and C-terminal extended part with a six-residue loop stabilized by a disulfide bridge. This structural arrangement resembles the Rana-box motif observed in the α-helical host-defense peptides isolated from frog skin. Nicomicin-1 exhibited strong in vitro antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria at submicromolar concentrations. The main mechanism of nicomicin-1 action is based on membrane damage but not on the inhibition of bacterial translation. The peptide possessed cytotoxicity against cancer and normal adherent cells as well as toward human erythrocytes.

scholarly journals Roles of the C-Terminal End of SecY in Protein Translocation and Viability of Escherichia coli

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (8) ◽  
pp. 2243-2250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Chiba ◽  
Hiroyuki Mori ◽  
Koreaki Ito
Keyword(s):  
Initial Phase ◽  
Protein Translocation ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Cytosolic Domains ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Sequence Region ◽  
Functional Defects

ABSTRACT SecY, a central component of the membrane-embedded sector of protein translocase, contains six cytosolic domains. Here, we examined the importance of the C-terminal cytosolic region of SecY by systematically shortening the C-terminal end and examining the functional consequences of these mutations in vivo and in vitro. It was indicated that the C-terminal five residues are dispensable without any appreciable functional defects in SecY. Mutants missing the C-terminal six to seven residues were partially compromised, especially at low temperature or in the absence of SecG. In vitro analyses indicated that the initial phase of the translocation reaction, in which the signal sequence region of the preprotein is inserted into the membrane, was affected by the lack of the C-terminal residues. SecA binding was normal, but SecA insertion in response to ATP and a preprotein was impaired. It is suggested that the C-terminal SecY residues are required for SecA-dependent translocation initiation.

scholarly journals SSD1 Is Integral to Host Defense Peptide Resistance in Candida albicans

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 1318-1327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly D. Gank ◽  
Michael R. Yeaman ◽  
Satoshi Kojima ◽  
Nannette Y. Yount ◽  
Hyunsook Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Host Defense ◽  
Genomic Library ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Host Defense Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide Resistance ◽  
Null Mutants

ABSTRACT Candida albicans is usually a harmless human commensal. Because inflammatory responses are not normally induced by colonization, antimicrobial peptides are likely integral to first-line host defense against invasive candidiasis. Thus, C. albicans must have mechanisms to tolerate or circumvent molecular effectors of innate immunity and thereby colonize human tissues. Prior studies demonstrated that an antimicrobial peptide-resistant strain of C. albicans, 36082R, is hypervirulent in animal models versus its susceptible counterpart (36082S). The current study aimed to identify a genetic basis for antimicrobial peptide resistance in C. albicans. Screening of a C. albicans genomic library identified SSD1 as capable of conferring peptide resistance to a susceptible surrogate, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sequencing confirmed that the predicted translation products of 36082S and 36082R SSD1 genes were identical. However, Northern analyses corroborated that SSD1 is expressed at higher levels in 36082R than in 36082S. In isogenic backgrounds, ssd1Δ/ssd1Δ null mutants were significantly more susceptible to antimicrobial peptides than parental strains but had equivalent susceptibilities to nonpeptide stressors. Moreover, SSD1 complementation of ssd1Δ/ssd1Δ mutants restored parental antimicrobial peptide resistance phenotypes, and overexpression of SSD1 conferred enhanced peptide resistance. Consistent with these in vitro findings, ssd1 null mutants were significantly less virulent in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis than were their parental or complemented strains. Collectively, these results indicate that SSD1 is integral to C. albicans resistance to host defense peptides, a phenotype that appears to enhance the virulence of this organism in vivo.

scholarly journals Parallel evolution of frog antimicrobial peptides produces identical conformations but subtly distinct membrane and antibacterial activities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgia Manzo ◽  
Philip M. Ferguson ◽  
Charlotte Hind ◽  
Melanie Clifford ◽  
V. Benjamin Gustilo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Parallel Evolution ◽  
Antibacterial Activities ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Model Membranes ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Litoria Aurea ◽  
Α Helix

ABSTRACTFrogs such as Rana temporaria and Litoria aurea secrete numerous closely related antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an effective chemical dermal defence. Despite the high similarity in physical properties and preference for adopting secondary amphipathic, α-helix conformations in membrane mimicking milieu, their spectrum of activity and potency often varies considerably. Damage or penetration of the bacterial plasma membrane is considered essential for AMP activity and hence distinguishing apparently similar AMPs according to their behaviour in, and effects on, model membranes will inform understanding of species specific effective antimicrobial mechanisms. Here we use a combination of molecular dynamics simulations, circular dichroism and patch-clamp to investigate the basis for differing anti-bacterial activities in representative AMPs from each species; temporin L and aurein 2.5. Despite adopting near identical, α-helix conformations in the steady-state in a variety of membrane models, these two AMPs can be distinguished both in vitro and in silico based on their dynamic interactions with model membranes; the greater conformational flexibility and the higher amplitude channel conductance induced offers a rationale for the greater potency and broader spectrum of activity of temporin L over aurein 2.5. Specific contributions from individual residues are identified that define the mechanisms of action of each AMP. Our findings suggest AMPs in frogs are examples of parallel evolution whose utility is based on apparently similar but subtly distinct mechanisms of action.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Peptides and Cancer: Potential Use of Antimicrobial-Like Peptides in Chemotherapy

2019 ◽  
pp. 233-242
Author(s):  
Mizejewski GJ
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Human Cancer ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
Human Protein ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Host Defense Peptides ◽  
Naturally Occurring

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute host defense peptides found among insects, fish, amphibians, and mammals including man. The targets of AMPs are gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, fungi, enveloped viruses, and transformed/cancerous cells. The AMPs are broad spectrum antibiotics which display the propensity to serve as therapeutic agents not only in infectious disease, but also in human cancer. AMPs demonstrate unique properties which include cell membrane penetration, destabilization of biological membranes, ability to form and/or interact with membrane channels, and the capability to modulate host immune responses. The three types of AMPs consists a) naturally-occurring; b) artificially synthesized; and c) cleaved peptide fragments from blood and extracellular matrix proteins. The present treatise presents one such example of an AMP-like peptide derived from a naturally-occurring human protein as a potential candidate for future cancer therapy. The biological activities of human AMP-like peptides as cancer therapeutic agents are reviewed and reported in multiple in vitro and in vivo cancer assays. The possibility of using such human protein-derived peptides as primary and adjunct cancer therapeutic agents is addressed.

IMPACT OF SORBITOL- INDUCED OSMOTIC STRESS ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL TRAITS OF POTATO IN VITRO

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1038-1047
Author(s):  
Mawia & et al.
Keyword(s):  
Ascorbic Acid ◽  
Osmotic Stress ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Genotypic Variation ◽  
Membrane Damage ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Culture Collection ◽  
Nutritive Medium ◽  
Starting Point

This study had as principal objective identification of osmotic-tolerant potato genotypes by using "in vitro" tissue culture and sorbitol as a stimulating agent, to induce water stress, which was added to the  culture nutritive medium in different concentration (0,50, 110, 220, 330 and 440 mM).  The starting point was represented by plantlets culture collection, belonging to eleven potato genotypes: Barcelona, Nectar, Alison, Jelly, Malice, Nazca, Toronto, Farida, Fabulla, Colomba and Spunta. Plantlets were multiplied between two internodes to obtain microcuttings (in sterile condition), which were inoculated on medium. Sorbitol-induced osmotic stress caused a significant reduction in the ascorbic acid, while the concentration of proline, H2O2 and solutes leakage increased compared with the control. Increased the proline content prevented lipid peroxidation, which played a pivotal role in the maintenance of membrane integrity under osmotic stress conditions. The extent of the cytoplasmic membrane damage depends on osmotic stress severity and the genotypic variation in the maintenance of membranes stability was highly associated with the ability of producing more amounts of osmoprotectants (proline) and the non-enzymic antioxidant ascorbic acid in response to osmotic stress level. The results showed that the genotypes Jelly, Nectar, Allison, Toronto, and Colomba are classified as highly osmotic stress tolerant genotypes, while the genotypes Nazca and Farida are classified as osmotic stress susceptible ones.

Antimicrobial peptides for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, allies or foes?

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1138-1147
Author(s):  
Bruno Rivas-Santiago ◽  
Flor Torres-Juarez
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Drug Resistant Strains

Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that has become a serious public health issue in recent years, although increasing incidence has been controlled, deaths caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been accentuated due to the emerging of multi-drug resistant strains and the comorbidity with diabetes mellitus and HIV. This situation is threatening the goals of World Health Organization (WHO) to eradicate tuberculosis in 2035. WHO has called for the creation of new drugs as an alternative for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, among the plausible molecules that can be used are the Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs). These peptides have demonstrated remarkable efficacy to kill mycobacteria in vitro and in vivo in experimental models, nevertheless, these peptides not only have antimicrobial activity but also have a wide variety of functions such as angiogenesis, wound healing, immunomodulation and other well-described roles into the human physiology. Therapeutic strategies for tuberculosis using AMPs must be well thought prior to their clinical use; evaluating comorbidities, family history and risk factors to other diseases, since the wide function of AMPs, they could lead to collateral undesirable effects.

In vitro Lipolysis as a Tool for the Establishment of IVIVC for Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 688-697
Author(s):  
Ravinder Verma ◽  
Deepak Kaushik
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Fed State ◽  
In Vitro Lipolysis ◽  
Ph Stat

: In vitro lipolysis has emerged as a powerful tool in the development of in vitro in vivo correlation for Lipid-based Drug Delivery System (LbDDS). In vitro lipolysis possesses the ability to mimic the assimilation of LbDDS in the human biological system. The digestion medium for in vitro lipolysis commonly contains an aqueous buffer media, bile salts, phospholipids and sodium chloride. The concentrations of these compounds are defined by the physiological conditions prevailing in the fasted or fed state. The pH of the medium is monitored by a pH-sensitive electrode connected to a computercontrolled pH-stat device capable of maintaining a predefined pH value via titration with sodium hydroxide. Copenhagen, Monash and Jerusalem are used as different models for in vitro lipolysis studies. The most common approach used in evaluating the kinetics of lipolysis of emulsion-based encapsulation systems is the pH-stat titration technique. This is widely used in both the nutritional and the pharmacological research fields as a rapid screening tool. Analytical tools for the assessment of in vitro lipolysis include HPLC, GC, HPTLC, SEM, Cryo TEM, Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) for the characterization of the lipids and colloidal phases after digestion of lipids. Various researches have been carried out for the establishment of IVIVC by using in vitro lipolysis models. The current publication also presents an updated review of various researches in the field of in vitro lipolysis.

scholarly journals A mixed chirality α-helix in a stapled bicyclic and a linear antimicrobial peptide revealed by X-ray crystallography

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Baeriswyl ◽  
Hippolyte Personne ◽  
Ivan Di Bonaventura ◽  
Thilo Köhler ◽  
Christian van Delden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Crystal Structures ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Α Helix

We report the first X-ray crystal structures of mixed chirality α-helices comprising only natural residues as the example of bicyclic and linear membrane disruptive amphiphilic antimicrobial peptides containing seven l- and four d-residues.

scholarly journals Periplasmic synthesis and purification of the human prolactin antagonist Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL

AMB Express ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam F. Suzuki ◽  
Larissa A. Almeida ◽  
Stephanie A. Pomin ◽  
Felipe D. Silva ◽  
Renan P. Freire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Exclusion Chromatography ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Osmotic Shock ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Human Prolactin ◽  
Exclusion Chromatography

AbstractThe human prolactin antagonist Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL is a 21.9 kDa recombinant protein with 188 amino acids that downregulates the proliferation of a variety of cells expressing prolactin receptors. Periplasmic expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli has been considered an option for obtaining a soluble and correctly folded protein, as an alternative to cytoplasmic production. The aim of this work was, therefore, to synthesize for the first time, the Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL antagonist, testing different activation temperatures and purifying it by classical chromatographic techniques. E. coli BL21(DE3) strain was transformed with a plasmid based on the pET25b( +) vector, DsbA signal sequence and the antagonist cDNA sequence. Different doses of IPTG were added, activating under different temperatures, and extracting the periplasmic fluid via osmotic shock. The best conditions were achieved by activating at 35 °C for 5 h using 0.4 mM IPTG, which gave a specific expression of 0.157 ± 0.015 μg/mL/A600 at a final optical density of 3.43 ± 0.13 A600. Purification was carried out by nickel-affinity chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography, quantification being performed via high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). The prolactin antagonist was characterized by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and MALDI-TOF–MS. The final product presented > 95% purity and its antagonistic effects were evaluated in vitro in view of potential clinical applications, including inhibition of the proliferation of cancer cells overexpressing the prolactin receptor and specific antidiabetic properties, taking also advantage of the fact that this antagonist was obtained in a soluble and correctly folded form and without an initial methionine.

scholarly journals Mechanistic Fingerprinting Reveals Kinetic Signatures of Resistance to Daptomycin and Host Defense Peptides in Streptococcus mitis-oralis

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 404
Author(s):  
Michael R. Yeaman ◽  
Liana C. Chan ◽  
Nagendra N. Mishra ◽  
Arnold S. Bayer
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Host Defense ◽  
Durable Resistance ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Streptococcus Mitis ◽  
Host Defense Peptides ◽  
Strain Pair ◽  
Defense Peptides

Streptococcus mitis-oralis (S. mitis-oralis) infections are increasingly prevalent in specific populations, including neutropenic cancer and endocarditis patients. S. mitis-oralis strains have a propensity to evolve rapid, high-level and durable resistance to daptomycin (DAP-R) in vitro and in vivo, although the mechanism(s) involved remain incompletely defined. We examined mechanisms of DAP-R versus cross-resistance to cationic host defense peptides (HDPs), using an isogenic S. mitis-oralis strain-pair: (i) DAP-susceptible (DAP-S) parental 351-WT (DAP MIC = 0.5 µg/mL), and its (ii) DAP-R variant 351-D10 (DAP MIC > 256 µg/mL). DAP binding was quantified by flow cytometry, in-parallel with temporal (1–4 h) killing by either DAP or comparative prototypic cationic HDPs (hNP-1; LL-37). Multicolor flow cytometry was used to determine kinetic cell responses associated with resistance or susceptibility to these molecules. While overall DAP binding was similar between strains, a significant subpopulation of 351-D10 cells hyper-accumulated DAP (>2–4-fold vs. 351-WT). Further, both DAP and hNP-1 induced cell membrane (CM) hyper-polarization in 351-WT, corresponding to significantly greater temporal DAP-killing (vs. 351-D10). No strain-specific differences in CM permeabilization, lipid turnover or regulated cell death were observed post-exposure to DAP, hNP-1 or LL-37. Thus, the adaptive energetics of the CM appear coupled to the outcomes of interactions of S. mitis-oralis with DAP and selected HDPs. In contrast, altered CM permeabilization, proposed as a major mechanism of action of both DAP and HDPs, did not differentiate DAP-S vs. DAP-R phenotypes in this S. mitis-oralis strain-pair.

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