title: Augmentation of the antibacterial activity of magainin by positive-charge chain extension.
abstract: Novel analogs of the broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide magainin-2 were obtained by extension of its chain through addition of segments of positively charged amino acids to either its N or its C terminus and by increasing its helicity. The activity of magainin-2 toward American Type Culture Collection strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus was most considerably enhanced by these modifications, whereas, in general, its low hemolytic capacity was not or was only slightly affected. The antibacterial potencies of magainin-2 and its derivatives were more evident following decreases of pH from 7.2 to 6 and 5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bessalle
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goria
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shalit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fridkin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D054806:Magainins; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054806:Magainins; D010455:Peptides; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C053301:magainin 2 peptide, Xenopus