Peptidoglycan potentiates the membrane disrupting effect of the carboxyamidated form of DMS-DA6, a Gram-positive selective antimicrobial peptide isolated from Pachymedusa dacnicolor skin

PLoS One. 2018 Oct 16;13(10):e0205727. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205727. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The occurrence of nosocomial infections has been on the rise for the past twenty years. Notably, infections caused by the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus represent a major clinical problem, as an increase in antibiotic multi-resistant strains has accompanied this rise. There is thus a crucial need to find and characterize new antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria, and against antibiotic-resistant strains in general. We identified a new dermaseptin, DMS-DA6, produced by the skin of the Mexican frog Pachymedusa dacnicolor, with specific antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. This peptide is particularly effective against two multiple drug-resistant strains Enterococcus faecium BM4147 and Staphylococcus aureus DAR5829, and has no hemolytic activity. DMS-DA6 is naturally produced with the C-terminal carboxyl group in either the free or amide forms. By using Gram-positive model membranes and different experimental approaches, we showed that both forms of the peptide adopt an α-helical fold and have the same ability to insert into, and to disorganize a membrane composed of anionic lipids. However, the bactericidal capacity of DMS-DA6-NH2 was consistently more potent than that of DMS-DA6-OH. Remarkably, rather than resulting from the interaction with the negatively charged lipids of the membrane, or from a more stable conformation towards proteolysis, the increased capacity to permeabilize the membrane of Gram-positive bacteria of the carboxyamidated form of DMS-DA6 was found to result from its enhanced ability to interact with peptidoglycan.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells / drug effects
  • Amphibian Proteins / genetics
  • Amphibian Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Amphibian Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / genetics
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Anura / metabolism*
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Drug Synergism
  • Enterococcus faecium / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Membranes / drug effects*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Peptidoglycan / pharmacology*
  • Skin / chemistry*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*

Substances

  • Amphibian Proteins
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Peptidoglycan
  • dermaseptin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Grant number: 2015-02-853, Fronteras de la Ciencia 2015-2 issued by CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y tecnologia), Mexico, https://www.conacyt.gob.mx/, to YR. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.