title: Novel antimicrobial peptides that exhibit activity against select agents and other drug resistant bacteria.
abstract: One of the greatest challenges facing modern medicine is the evolution of drug resistant strains of bacteria. In addition to traditional methods of exposure to traditional bacterial organisms there is a growing concerned of the use of bacteria as bio-terrorism agents. To counter the evolution of drug resistant and potential bio-terrorism bacterial agents new antibiotic drugs must be developed. One potential source of new therapeutic agents that act via a novel mechanism of action are natural and synthetic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). In our laboratories we have developed a series of AMPs incorporating the un-natural amino acids Tic-Oic to impart organism selectivity and potency while increasing metabolic stability. Herein the in vitro activity of these peptides, including ten new compounds, against eight potential bio-terrorism bacterial agents and three other bacterial strains is presented and discussed. These peptides exhibit a wide range of organism potency and selectivity. Calcein fluorescence leakage and circular dichroism studies were conducted to confirm that these peptides interact with zwitterionic and anionic liposomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Science and Technology Building, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
authors.forename: Divakaramenon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Venugopal
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klapper
authors.forename: Antoine H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Srouji
authors.forename: Jayendra B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bhonsle
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borschel
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Brittany C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Rickey P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hicks
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000378:metabolism; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005452:Fluoresceins; D008081:Liposomes; D010455:Peptides; C007740:fluorexon