title: Identification and characterization of antibacterial compound(s) of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana).
abstract: Infectious diseases remain a significant threat to human health, contributing to more than 17 million deaths, annually. With the worsening trends of drug resistance, there is a need for newer and more powerful antimicrobial agents. We hypothesized that animals living in polluted environments are potential sources of antimicrobials. Under polluted milieus, organisms such as cockroaches encounter different types of microbes, including superbugs. Such creatures survive the onslaught of superbugs and are able to ward off disease by producing antimicrobial substances. Here, we characterized antibacterial properties in extracts of various body organs of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and showed potent antibacterial activity in crude brain extract against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and neuropathogenic Escherichia coli K1. The size-exclusion spin columns revealed that the active compound(s) are less than 10 kDa in molecular mass. Using cytotoxicity assays, it was observed that pre-treatment of bacteria with lysates inhibited bacteria-mediated host cell cytotoxicity. Using spectra obtained with LC-MS on Agilent 1290 infinity liquid chromatograph, coupled with an Agilent 6460 triple quadruple mass spectrometer, tissues lysates were analysed. Among hundreds of compounds, only a few homologous compounds were identified that contained the isoquinoline group, chromene derivatives, thiazine groups, imidazoles, pyrrole-containing analogs, sulfonamides, furanones, and flavanones and known to possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, and analgesic properties. Further identification, characterization, and functional studies using individual compounds can act as a breakthrough in developing novel therapeutics against various pathogens including superbugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Salwa Mansur
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ruqaiyyah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Seng-Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Raza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ayaz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Heard
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. naveed5438@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naveed Ahmed
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002457:Cell Extracts
keywords: Antibacterials; Cockroach; Superbugs