Antimicrobial activity of the synthetic peptide scolopendrasin ii from the centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans

J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013 Oct 28;23(10):1381-5. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1306.06013.

Abstract

The centipede Scolopendra subpinipes mutilans is a medicinally important arthropod species. However, its transcriptome is not currently available and transcriptome analysis would be useful in providing insight into a molecular level approach. Hence, we performed de novo RNA sequencing of S. subpinipes mutilans using next-generation sequencing. We generated a novel peptide (scolopendrasin II) based on a SVM algorithm, and biochemically evaluated the in vitro antimicrobial activity of scolopendrasin II against various microbes. Scolopendrasin II showed antibacterial activities against gram-positive and -negative bacterial strains, including the yeast Candida albicans and antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria, as determined by a radial diffusion assay and colony count assay without hemolytic activity. In addition, we confirmed that scolopendrasin II bound to the surface of bacteria through a specific interaction with lipoteichoic acid and a lipopolysaccharide, which was one of the bacterial cell-wall components. In conclusion, our results suggest that scolopendrasin II may be useful for developing peptide antibiotics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / genetics
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects*
  • Cell Wall / metabolism
  • Diterpene Alkaloids
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Protein Binding
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Diterpene Alkaloids
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • scolopendra alkaloids