Linked Life Data

16043484

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/16043484

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
40
pubmed:dateCreated
2005-10-3
pubmed:abstractText
Novel cationic antimicrobial peptides typified by structures such as KKKKKKAAXAAWAAXAA-NH2, where X = Phe/Trp, and several of their analogues display high activity against a variety of bacteria but exhibit no hemolytic activity even at high dose levels in mammalian erythrocytes. To elucidate their mechanism of action and source of selectivity for bacterial membranes, phospholipid mixtures mimicking the compositions of natural bacterial membranes (containing anionic lipids) and mammalian membranes (containing zwitterionic lipids + cholesterol) were challenged with the peptides. We found that peptides readily inserted into bacterial lipid mixtures, although no insertion was detected in model "mammalian" membranes. The depth of peptide insertion into model bacterial membranes was estimated by Trp fluorescence quenching using doxyl groups variably positioned along the phospholipid acyl chains. Peptide antimicrobial activity generally increased with increasing depth of peptide insertion. The overall results, in conjunction with molecular modeling, support an initial electrostatic interaction step in which bacterial membranes attract and bind peptide dimers onto the bacterial surface, followed by the "sinking" of the hydrophobic core segment to a peptide sequence-dependent depth of approximately 2.5-8 A into the membrane, largely parallel to the membrane surface. Antimicrobial activity was likely enhanced by the fact that the peptide sequences contain AXXXA sequence motifs, which promote their dimerization, and possibly higher oligomerization, as assessed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel analysis and fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments. The high selectivity of these peptides for nonmammalian membranes, combined with their activity toward a wide spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast, while retaining water solubility, represent significant advantages of this class of peptides.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Oct
pubmed:issn
0021-9258
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
7
pubmed:volume
280
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
33960-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2005
pubmed:articleTitle
Basis for selectivity of cationic antimicrobial peptides for bacterial versus mammalian membranes.
pubmed:affiliation
Division of Structural Biology and Biochemistry, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't