HP(2-9)-magainin 2(1-12), a synthetic hybrid peptide, exerts its antifungal effect on Candida albicans by damaging the plasma membrane.
In our previous study, HP(2-9)-MA(1-12), HP-MA for short, a hybrid peptide incorporating residues 2-9 of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 (HP) and residues 1-12 of magainin 2 (MA) was shown to have strong antibacterial activity. In this study the antifungal activity of HP-MA was evaluated using various fungi, and it was shown that the activity was increased when compared with the parent peptides. In order to investigate the fungicidal mechanism(s) of HP-MA its action against fungal cell membranes was examined by the potassium-release test, which showed that HP-MA caused an increase in the amount of K+ released from the cells. Furthermore, HP-MA induced significant morphological changes. These facts suggested that the fungicidal effect of HP-MA involves damaging the fungal cell membranes. CD investigators suggested that the alpha-helical structure of these peptides plays an important role in their antibiotic effect, but that alpha-helicity is less directly correlated with the enhanced antibiotic activity of the hybrid.
Park
Yoonkyung
Y
Research Center for Proteineous Materials, Chosun University, 375 Seosuk-Dong, Dong-Ku, Kwangju 501-759, Korea.
Lee
Dong Gun
DG
Hahm
Kyung-Soo
KS
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D054806:Magainins; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054806:Magainins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C028546:ribosomal protein L1; C053301:magainin 2 peptide, Xenopus; D011188:Potassium