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Title: Lung SPLUNC1 Peptide Derivatives in the Lipid Membrane Headgroup Kill Gram-Negative Planktonic and Biofilm Bacteria
SPLUNC1 (short palate lung and nasal epithelial clone 1) is a multifunctional host defense protein found in human respiratory tract with antimicrobial properties. In this work we compare the biological activities of four SPLUNC1 antimicrobial peptide (AMP) derivatives using paired clinical isolates of the Gram-negative (G(-)) bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae, obtained from eleven patients with/without colistin resistance. Secondary structural studies were carried out to study interactions between the AMPs and lipid model membranes (LMMs) utilizing circular dichroism (CD). Two peptides were further characterized using x-ray diffuse scattering (XDS) and neutron reflectivity (NR). A4-153 displayed superior antibacterial activity in both G(-) planktonic cultures and biofilms. NR and XDS revealed that A4-153 (highest activity) is located primarily in membrane headgroups, while A4-198 (lowest activity) is located in hydrophobic region. CD revealed that A4-153 is helical while A4-198 has little helical character, demonstrating that helicity and efficacy are correlated in these SPLUNC1 AMPs.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2115790
PAR ID:
10411892
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;  ;
Editor(s):
Lu, Hua
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Biomacromolecules
ISSN:
1525-7797
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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