title: Improved activity of a synthetic indolicidin analog.
abstract: A novel cationic peptide, CP-11, based on the structure of the bovine neutrophil peptide indolicidin, was designed to increase the number of positively charged residues, maintain the short length (13 amino acids), and enhance the amphipathicity relative to those of indolicidin. CP-11, and especially its carboxymethylated derivative, CP-11C, demonstrated improved activity against gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans, while it maintained the activity of indolicidin against staphylococci and demonstrated a reduced ability to lyse erythrocytes. In Escherichia coli, CP-11 was better able than indolicidin to permeabilize both the outer membrane, as indicated by the enhancement of uptake of 1-N-phenylnaphthylamine, and the inner membrane, as determined by the unmasking of cytoplasmic beta-galactosidase, providing an explanation for its improved activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Falla
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hancock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002417:Cattle; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000378:metabolism; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000378:metabolism; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010455:Peptides; C073143:indolicidin; D014364:Tryptophan; D011392:Proline; D011112:Polymyxin B