A novel engineered peptide, a narrow-spectrum antibiotic, is effective against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005 Mar;49(3):1184-9. doi: 10.1128/AAC.49.3.1184-1189.2005.

Abstract

A novel antienterococcal peptide was prepared by fusing the enterococcal cCF10 pheromone to the channel-forming domain of colicin Ia, forming Enterococcus faecalis pheromonicin (PMC-EF). This peptide was bactericidal against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) organisms. Electron microscopy and vital dyes confirmed increased membrane permeability. All mice made bacteremic with VRE strains survived when they were treated with PMC-EF, while all controls died.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Base Sequence
  • Colicins / pharmacology
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides*
  • Protein Engineering
  • Vancomycin Resistance*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Colicins
  • Peptides