The cationic peptide magainin II is antimicrobial for Burkholderia cepacia-complex strains.
This study was undertaken to determine the antibacterial activity of eight cationic antimicrobial peptides towards strains of genomovars I-V of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) in time-kill assays. All but one of the peptides failed to show activity against the panel of test strains. The exception was magainin II, a 23 aa peptide isolated from the epidermis of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, which exhibited significant bactericidal activity for Bcc genomovars most frequently associated with lung infection of patients with cystic fibrosis. In vitro studies indicated that magainin II protected a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) from killing by Bcc and suggest that this peptide may have therapeutic potential against these organisms.
Thwaite
Joanne E
JE
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
Humphrey
Suzanne
S
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
Fox
Marc A
MA
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
Savage
Victoria L
VL
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
Laws
Thomas R
TR
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
Ulaeto
David O
DO
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
Titball
Richard W
RW
School of Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
Atkins
Helen S
HS
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, UK.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D042602:Burkholderia cepacia complex / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D004355:Drug Stability; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D054806:Magainins; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054806:Magainins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C053301:magainin 2 peptide, Xenopus; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases