Antimicrobial activity of polycationic peptides.
The in vitro activity of six polycationic peptides, buforin II, cecropin P1, indolicidin, magainin II, nisin, and ranalexin, were evaluated against several clinical isolates of gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic bacteria, yeasts, Pneumocystis carinii and Cryptosporidium parvum, by using microbroth dilution methods. The peptides exhibited different antibacterial activities and rapid time-dependent killing. The gram-negative organisms were more susceptible to buforin II and cecropin P1, whereas buforin II and ranalexin were the most active compounds against the gram-positive strains. Similarly, ranalexin showed the highest activity against Candida spp., whereas magainin II exerted the highest anticryptococcal activity. Finally, the peptides showed high anti-Pneumocystis activity, whereas no compound had strong inhibitory effect on C. parvum.
Giacometti
A
A
Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, University of Ancona, Italy. cmalinf@popcsi.unian.it
Cirioni
O
O
Barchiesi
F
F
Del Prete
M S
MS
Scalise
G
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010455:Peptides; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes