The increasing threat posed by antibiotic-resistant pathogens has prompted a shift to the use of naturally-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in place of chemical preservatives in controlling foodborne pathogens. In this study, ten peptides were identified from salt-fermented shrimps (Penaeus vannamei) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. One of the peptides, designated PV-Q5 (QVRNFPRGSAASPSALASPR), with most features of an AMP, was further explored and found to possess strong antibacterial activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Escherichia coli, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 31.25 μg/mL. Moreover, PV-Q5 increased bacterial cell membrane permeability and ruptured bacteria cell membranes, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Circular dichroism analysis showed that the conformation of PV-Q5 was a random coil in phosphate-buffered saline and α-helical in sodium dodecyl sulfate, which is conducive for interaction with bacteria cell membranes. These findings indicated that PV-Q5 could find potential use in food preservation to control foodborne pathogenic bacteria.
Keywords: Escherichia coli; Penaeus vannamei; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; antibacterial mechanism; antimicrobial peptide.