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. 2018 Jun 10:2018:5252891.
doi: 10.1155/2018/5252891. eCollection 2018.

Effect of Polyvalence on the Antibacterial Activity of a Synthetic Peptide Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin against Healthcare-Associated Infectious Pathogens

Sandra C Vega Chaparro  1 , J Tatiana Valencia Salguero  2 , Diana A Martínez Baquero  1 , Jaiver E Rosas Pérez  1
Affiliations

Effect of Polyvalence on the Antibacterial Activity of a Synthetic Peptide Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin against Healthcare-Associated Infectious Pathogens

Sandra C Vega Chaparro et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are gaining interest as potential therapeutic agents. Peptides derived from bovine lactoferricin B (LfcinB) have been reported to exhibit antimicrobial activity, and the LfcinB RRWQWR sequence is the smallest known motif that exhibits antibacterial and cytotoxic activity. Our goal was to examine the effect of multicopy arrangements of the RRWQWR motif, on its antibacterial activity against healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). Linear and branched peptides containing the RRWQWR motif were generated using solid phase peptide synthesis-Fmoc/tBu methodology, purified, and characterized using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. For each peptide, the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923 and 33591 strains) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 13883 and 700603 strains) was assessed by measuring the minimum inhibitory and the minimum bactericidal concentrations, in the exponential phase. Cells were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the hemolytic activity of the peptides was assessed. The overall results demonstrate that, compared to linear analogues, polyvalent presentation of the RRWQWR motif enhances its antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria even on resistant strain.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representation of the tetrameric RRWQWR motif peptide molecule.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dose-dependent effects of the peptides on two Staphylococcus aureus strains.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Dose-dependent effects of the peptides on two Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of Staphylococcus aureus after treatment with dimeric and tetrameric peptides.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of Klebsiella pneumoniae after treatment with dimeric and tetrameric peptides.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Haemolytic activity of antibacterial synthetic peptides derived from LfcinB. Symbols indicate mean and range (n = 2).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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