title: A cell-penetrating peptide analogue, P7, exerts antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC25922 via penetrating cell membrane and targeting intracellular DNA.
abstract: The antibacterial activities and mechanism of a new P7 were investigated in this study. P7 showed antimicrobial activities against five harmful microorganisms which contaminate and spoil food (MIC=4-32 μM). Flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy analyses demonstrated that P7 induced pore-formation on the cell surface and led to morphological changes but did not lyse cell. Confocal fluorescence microscopic observations and flow cytometry analysis expressed that P7 could penetrate the Escherichia coli cell membrane and accumulate in the cytoplasm. Moreover, P7 possessed a strong DNA binding affinity. Further cell cycle analysis and change in gene expression analysis suggested that P7 induced a decreased expression in the genes involved in DNA replication. Up-regulated expression genes encoding DNA damage repair. This study suggests that P7 could be applied as a candidate for the development of new food preservatives as it exerts its antibacterial activities by penetrating cell membranes and targets intracellular DNA.
authors: Institute of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; Institute of Food Safety, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China; The State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: lirong.lily@gmail.com.
authors: Lirong
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Institute of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; The State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Yonghui
authors: Y
authors: Shi
authors: Institute of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; The State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Xiangrong
authors: X
authors: Cheng
authors: Institute of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; The State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Shufang
authors: S
authors: Xia
authors: Institute of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; The State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; Human Nutrition Department, Egerton University, PO Box 536, Egerton, Kenya.
authors: Maureen Jepkorir
authors: MJ
authors: Cheserek
authors: Institute of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China; The State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: lgw@jiangnan.edu.cn.
authors: Guowei
authors: G
authors: Le
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D057846:Cell-Penetrating Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry*; D005519:Food Preservation
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D057846:Cell-Penetrating Peptides; D004247:DNA
keywords: Antimicrobial peptide; DNA binding; Escherichia coli; Penetrate cell membrane