The effects of magainin 2-derived and rationally designed antimicrobial peptides on Mycoplasma pneumoniae

PLoS One. 2022 Jan 24;17(1):e0261893. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261893. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Combating the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among bacteria requires a new class of antimicrobials, which desirably have a narrow spectrum because of their low propensity for the spread of AMR. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which target the bacterial cell membrane, are promising seeds for novel antimicrobials because the cell membrane is essential for all cells. Previously, we reported the antimicrobial and haemolytic effects of a natural AMP, magainin 2 (Mag2), isolated from the skin of Xenopus laevis (the African clawed frog), four types of synthesised Mag2 derivatives, and three types of rationally designed AMPs on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. To identify novel antimicrobial seeds, we evaluated the effect of AMPs on Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which also exhibits AMR. We also evaluated the antimicrobial effects of an AMP, NK2A, which has been reported to have antimicrobial effects on Mycoplasma bovis, in addition to Mag2 and previously synthesised seven AMPs, on four strains of M. pneumoniae using colorimetric, biofilm, and killing assays. We found that three synthesised AMPs, namely 17base-Ac6c, 17base-Hybrid, and Block, had anti-M. pneumoniae (anti-Mp) effect at 8-30 μM, whereas others, including NK2A, did not have any such effect. For the further analysis, the membrane disruption activities of AMPs were measured by propidium iodide (PI) uptake assays, which suggested the direct interaction of AMPs to the cell membrane basically following the colorimetric, biofilm, and killing assay results. PI uptake assay, however, also showed the NK2A strong interaction to cell membrane, indicating unknown anti-Mp determinant factors related to the peptide sequences. Finally, we conclude that anti-Mp effect was not simply determined by the membrane disruption activities of AMPs, but also that the sequence of AMPs were important for killing of M. pneumoniae. These findings would be helpful for the development of AMPs for M. pneumoniae.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Drug Design*
  • Magainins* / chemical synthesis
  • Magainins* / chemistry
  • Magainins* / pharmacology
  • Mycoplasma bovis / physiology
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae / physiology*
  • Xenopus Proteins* / chemical synthesis
  • Xenopus Proteins* / chemistry
  • Xenopus Proteins* / pharmacology
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Magainins
  • Xenopus Proteins
  • magainin 2 peptide, Xenopus

Grants and funding

This research was conducted at a research facility in National Institute of Health Sciences, Japan. This research was supported by the Research Resident Program from Japan Agency for Medical Research and development, AMED, under Grant Number JP20mk0101109 and JP21mk0101129 to YK, and 21fk0108622j0001 to TM. This research was also supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JSPS/MEXT, under KAKENHI Grant Number 21K05320 and JP18H05502 to YD, and Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists under JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 19K16366 to KH. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.