title: Scolopendin 2, a cationic antimicrobial peptide from centipede, and its membrane-active mechanism.
abstract: Scolopendin 2 is a 16-mer peptide (AGLQFPVGRIGRLLRK) derived from the centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans. We observed that this peptide exhibited antimicrobial activity in a salt-dependent manner against various fungal and bacterial pathogens and showed no hemolytic effect in the range of 1.6 μM to 100 μM. Circular dichroism analysis showed that the peptide has an α-helical properties. Furthermore, we determined the mechanism(s) of action using flow cytometry and by investigating the release of intracellular potassium. The results showed that the peptide permeabilized the membranes of Escherichia coli O157 and Candida albicans, resulting in loss of intracellular potassium ions. Additionally, bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol and 3,3'-dipropylthiacarbocyanine iodide assays showed that the peptide caused membrane depolarization. Using giant unilamellar vesicles encapsulating calcein and large unilamellar vesicles containing fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran, which were similar in composition to typical E. coli O157 and C. albicans membranes, we demonstrated that scolopendin 2 disrupts membranes, resulting in a pore size between 4.8 nm and 5.0 nm. Thus, we have demonstrated that a cationic antimicrobial peptide, scolopendin 2, exerts its broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects by forming pores in the cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daehak-ro 80, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Heejeong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Sam
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jaeho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daehak-ro 80, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dglee222@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Dong Gun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001181:Arthropods / Q000737:chemistry; D001463:Barbiturates; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002232:Carbocyanines; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D003911:Dextrans; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D001463:Barbiturates; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D002232:Carbocyanines; D003911:Dextrans; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007555:Isoxazoles; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes; C015219:fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran; C052795:bis(1,3-dibutylbarbiturate)trimethine oxonol; C012944:3,3'-dipropyl-2,2'-thiadicarbocyanine; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; C007740:fluorexon
keywords: Antimicrobial peptide; Membrane damage; Scolopendin 2; Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans