title: Effect of the antimicrobial peptide D-Nal-Pac-525 on the growth of Streptococcus mutans and its biofilm formation.
abstract: Streptococcus mutans is the primary etiological agent of dental caries. The antimicrobial peptide D-Nal-Pac-525 was designed by replacing the tryptophans of the Trp-rich peptide Pac-525 with D-β-naphthyalanines. To assess the effect of D-Nal-Pac-525 on cariogenic bacteria, the activity of D-Nal-Pac-525 on the growth of S. mutans and its biofilm formation were examined. D-Nal- Pac-525 showed robust antimicrobial activity against S. mutans (minimum inhibitory concentration of 4 μg/ml). Using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, it was shown that D-Nal-Pac-525 caused morphological changes and damaged the cell membrane of S. mutans. D-Nal-Pac-525 inhibited biofilm formation of S. mutans at 2 μg/ml. The results of this study suggest that D-Nal-Pac-525 has great potential for clinical application as a dental caries-preventing agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
authors.forename: Huajun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jya-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hui-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yufang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides