title: Antimicrobial activity of Bac7 fragments against drug-resistant clinical isolates.
abstract: Ten peptides from 13 to 35 residues in length and covering the whole sequence of the Pro-rich peptide Bac7 were synthesized to identify the domain responsible for its antimicrobial activity. At least 16 residues of the highly cationic N-terminal sequence were required to maintain the activity against Gram-negative bacteria. The fragments Bac7(1-35) and, to a lesser extent, Bac7(1-16) proved active against a panel of antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria, with the notable exception of Burkholderia cepacia. In addition, when tested against fungi, the longer fragment was also active against collection strains and clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans, but not towards clinical isolates of Candida albicans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri, 1, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benincasa
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scocchi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Podda
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Skerlavaj
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dolzani
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gennaro
mesh_terms: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010843:Pichia / Q000187:drug effects; D019779:Salmonella enterica / Q000187:drug effects; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C481640:Bac7(1-35) peptide; D010446:Peptide Fragments