Expression of recombinant puroindolines for the treatment of staphylococcal skin infections (acne vulgaris).
Puroindolines are antimicrobial peptides that occur in wheat seed, and are characterized by broad antimicrobial activity. We describe the heterologous expression of puroindoline A and B in the Origami strain of Escherichia coli. The recombinant puroindolines showed the same antimicrobial activity on Staphylococcus epidermidis as compared to the native peptides (MIC(90)=30microgml(-1)). The bactericidal activity was 125microgml(-1) for recombinant puroindoline A and 42microgml(-1) for recombinant puroindoline B. Neither protein shows in vitro haemolytic activity or toxicity towards the murine macrophage cell line J774, but they are able to kill intracellular staphylococci. Our preliminary results suggest that recombinant puroindolines deserve further attention as alternatives to the conventional antibiotics in the control of S. epidermidis skin infections.
Capparelli
Rosanna
R
School of Biotechnological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 133, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy. capparel@unina.it
Ventimiglia
Ilaria
I
Palumbo
Daniela
D
Nicodemo
Davide
D
Salvatore
Paola
P
Amoroso
Maria Grazia
MG
Iannaccone
Marco
M
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004926:Escherichia coli; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015202:Protein Engineering; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C082942:puroindoline protein, Triticum aestivum; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins