A synthetic form of tracheal antimicrobial peptide has both bactericidal and antifungal activities

Drug Des Discov. 1996 Dec;14(3):171-8.

Abstract

We have chemically synthesized tracheal antimicrobial peptide (TAP) with 38 amino acids and examined efficacy of the peptide on various organisms. The synthetic peptide showed potent bactericidal effect on both gram positive and negative bacteria. The action of bactericidal effect was relatively quick and 99.9% of E. coli cells were killed within 90 minutes at a concentration of 2.5 micrograms/ml of TAP. The peptide also showed antifungal activity against both mycelia (Aspergillus fumigatus) and yeast (Candida albicans) forms of fungi. Our domain analysis with a series of synthetic peptides of various lengths indicates that 17 amino acid residues of the C-terminal end is the minimum functional domain of the bactericidal activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides*
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / drug effects
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis*
  • Peptides / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Peptides
  • tracheal antimicrobial peptide, bovine