Fragments of β-thymosin from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus as potential antimicrobial peptides against staphylococcal biofilms.
The immune mediators in echinoderms can be a potential source of novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) applied toward controlling pathogenic staphylococcal biofilms that are intrinsically resistant to conventional antibiotics. The peptide fraction <5 kDa from the cytosol of coelomocytes of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (5-CC) was tested against a group of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogen reference strains. The 5-CC of P. lividus was active against all planktonic-tested strains but also showed antibiofilm properties against staphylococcal strains. Additionally, we demonstrated the presence of three small peptides in the 5-CC belonging to segment 9-41 of a P. lividusβ-thymosin. The smallest of these peptides in particular, showed the common chemical-physical characteristics of AMPs. This novel AMP from β-thymosin has high potential activity as an antibiofilm agent, acting on slow-growing bacterial cells that exhibit a reduced susceptibility to conventional antibiotics and represent a reservoir for recurrent biofilm-associated infections.
Department of Molecular and Biomolecular Science and Technology (STEMBIO), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. domenico.schillaci@unipa.it
Domenico
D
Schillaci
Maria
M
Vitale
Maria Grazia
MG
Cusimano
Vincenzo
V
Arizza
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013947:Thymosin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D013947:Thymosin