title: Activity of antibacterial protein from maggots against Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Maggots (larvae of Lucilia sericata) have shown therapeutic effects on refractory wounds infected with bacteria, yet the bacterial killing mechanisms are unclear. Herein, we report the isolation and purification of an antibacterial protein from maggots (MAMP). MAMP demonstrated inhibitory activity against both standard strains and clinically isolated antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. The topical use of MAMP effectively decreased the viability of S. aureus and promoted wound healing in an S. aureus mouse skin infection model. MAMP exerted its antibacterial activity via a bactericidal mechanism based on observations using scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. MAMP interacted with the bacterial cell membrane and disrupted the cell surface structure. In addition, MAMP had weak hemolytic activity at a high concentration. Taken together, MAMP exhibits potential use as a topical agent for treating bacterial infections.
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, P.R. China.
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Zhang
authors: Jiangning
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Zhang
authors: Huanran
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Song
authors: Jiao
authors: J
authors: He
authors: Decheng
authors: D
authors: Lv
authors: Shouyu
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Xiaoguang
authors: X
authors: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007814:Larva / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D012015:Reference Standards; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019476:Insect Proteins