• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제20권9호
• /
• pp.1073-1077
• /
• 1999

CRAMP, a 37-amino acid cationic antimicrobial peptide was recently deduced from the cDNA cloned from mouse femoral marrow RNA. In order to investigate the structure-activity relationship and functional region of CRAMP, CRAMP and its 18-mer overlapping peptides were synthesized by the solid phase method. CRAMP showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains (MIC: 3.125-6.25 μM) but had no hemolytic activity until 50 μM. CRAMP was found to have a potent anticancer activity (IC50: 12-23 μM) against two human small cell lung cancer cell lines. Furthermore, CRAMP was found to display faster bactericidal rate in B. subtilis rather than E. coli in the kinetics of bacterial killing. Among 18-meric overlapping fragment peptides, only CRAMP (16-33) displayed potent antibacterial activity (MIC: 12.5-50 μM) against several bacteria with no hemolytic activity. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra anal-ysis indicated that CRAMP and its analogues will form the amphipathic α-helical conformation in the cell membranes similar to other antimicrobial peptides, such as cecropins and magainins.

• Carbon letters
• /
• 제8권3호
• /
• pp.184-190
• /
• 2007

Carbon Nano Tubes could be either metallic or semi-conducting in nature, depending on their diameter. Its photocatalytic behavior has given an impetus to use it as an anti-microbial agent. More than 95% Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria got killed when exposed to Carbon Nano Tubes for 30 minutes in presence of sunlight. Carbon Nano Tubes are supposed to have smooth surface on to which it accumulates positive charges when exposed to light. The surface that is non illuminated has negative charge. At the cellular level microorganisms produce negative charges on the cell membrane, Therefore damaging effect of multi walled carbon nano tubes (exposed to light) on the microorganisms is possible. In this paper, photo catalytic killing of microbes by multi walled carbon nano tubes is reported. Killing was due to damage in the cell membrane, as seen in SEM micrographs. Moreover biochemical analysis of membrane as well as total cellular proteins by SDS PAGE showed that there was denaturation of membrane proteins as well as total proteins of both the microbes studied. The killed microbes that showed a decrease in number of protein bands (i.e. due to breaking down of proteins) also showed an increase in level of free amino acids in microbes. This further confirmed that proteins got denatured or broken down into shorter units of amino acids. Increased level of free amino acids was recorded in both the microbes treated with multi walled carbon nano tubes and sunlight.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
• /
• 제2권3호
• /
• pp.127-141
• /
• 2015

Silver-based systems activated by low intensity direct current continue to be investigated as an alternative antimicrobial for infection prophylaxis and treatment. However there has been limited research on the quantitative characterization of the antimicrobial efficacy of such systems. The objective of this study was to develop a semi-mechanistic pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model providing the quantitative relationship between the critical system parameters and the degree of antimicrobial efficacy. First, time-kill curves were experimentally established for a strain of Staphylococcus aureus in a nutrientrich fluid environment over 48 hours. Based on these curves, a modified PK/PD model was developed with two components: a growing silver-susceptible bacterial population and a depreciating bactericidal process. The test of goodness-of-fit showed that the model was robust and had good predictability ($R^2>0.7$). The model demonstrated that the current intensity was positively correlated to the initial killing rate and the bactericidal fatigue rate of the system while the anode surface area was negatively correlated to the fatigue rate. The model also allowed the determination of the effective range of these two parameters within which the system has significant antimicrobial efficacy. In conclusion, the modified PK/PD model successfully described bacterial growth and killing kinetics when the bacteria were exposed to the electrically activated silver-titanium implant system. This modeling approach as well as the model itself can also potentially contribute to the development of optimal design strategies for other similar antimicrobial systems.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제36권8호
• /
• pp.1285-1292
• /
• 2023

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a novel endolysin (PanLys.1) for the specific killing of the ruminal hyper-ammonia-producing bacterium Peptostreptococcus anaerobius (P. anaerobius). Methods: Whole genome sequences of P. anaerobius strains and related bacteriophages were collected from the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, and the candidate gene for PanLys.1 was isolated based on amino acid sequences and conserved domain database (CDD) analysis. The gene was overexpressed using a pET system in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The lytic activity of PanLys.1 was evaluated under various conditions (dosage, pH, temperature, NaCl, and metal ions) to determine the optimal lytic activity conditions. Finally, the killing activity of PanLys.1 against P. anaerobius was confirmed using an in vitro rumen fermentation system. Results: CDD analysis showed that PanLys.1 has a modular design with a catalytic domain, amidase-2, at the N-terminal, and a cell wall binding domain, from the CW-7 superfamily, at the C-terminal. The lytic activity of PanLys.1 against P. anaerobius was the highest at pH 8.0 (p<0.05) and was maintained at 37℃ to 45℃, and 0 to 250 mM NaCl. The activity of PanLys.1 significantly decreased (p<0.05) after Mn²⁺ or Zn²⁺ treatment. The relative abundance of P. anaerobius did not decrease after administration PanLys.1 under in vitro rumen conditions. Conclusion: The application of PanLys.1 to modulate P. anaerobius in the rumen might not be feasible because its lytic activity was not observed in in vitro rumen system.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제20권3호
• /
• pp.25.1-25.13
• /
• 2020

Acinetobacter baumannii is known for its multidrug antibiotic resistance. New approaches to treating drug-resistant bacterial infections are urgently required. Cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) is a murine antimicrobial peptide that exerts diverse immune functions, including both direct bacterial cell killing and immunomodulatory effects. In this study, we sought to identify the role of CRAMP in the host immune response to multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Wild-type (WT) and CRAMP knockout mice were infected intranasally with the bacteria. CRAMP^-/- mice exhibited increased bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid after A. baumannii infection compared to WT mice. The loss of CRAMP expression resulted in a significant decrease in the recruitment of immune cells, primarily neutrophils. The levels of IL-6 and CXCL1 were lower, whereas the levels of IL-10 were significantly higher in the BAL fluid of CRAMP^-/- mice compared to WT mice 1 day after infection. In an in vitro assay using thioglycollate-induced peritoneal neutrophils, the ability of bacterial phagocytosis and killing was impaired in CRAMP^-/- neutrophils compared to the WT cells. CRAMP was also essential for the production of cytokines and chemokines in response to A. baumannii in neutrophils. In addition, the A. baumannii-induced inhibitor of κB-α degradation and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK were impaired in CRAMP^-/- neutrophils, whereas ERK and JNK phosphorylation was upregulated. Our results indicate that CRAMP plays an important role in the host defense against pulmonary infection with A. baumannii by promoting the antibacterial activity of neutrophils and regulating the innate immune responses.

• 융합정보논문지
• /
• 제10권4호
• /
• pp.104-114
• /
• 2020

본 연구는 식물에서 항생제로 알려진 11 가지 에센셜 오일(피톤치드)을 선별 한 후 혼합한 정유를 사용하여 최고의 항생제를 조사하였다. 최소억제농도 (MIC)와 최소사멸농도 (MBC) 측정 결과 Essential Oil B와 E가 목적 균의 억제효과가 높았다. 이 실험에 사용 된 S. aureus를 함유하는 모든 그람 양성 박테리아는 높은 항생제 활성을 나타냈다. 그리고 그람 양성 박테리아에서 A. baumanii와 곰팡이에서 C. albicans만이 높은 항생제 활동을 보였다. 우리의 실험에 사용 된 에센셜 오일은 항생제 활성이 뛰어난 천연 항생제 및 자연 의학의 에센셜 오일을 사용한 주요 연구와 비교할 때 더 우수한 항생제 활성을 보였다. 시험에 사용한 공시물질인 Essential Oil이 어떤 항균활성의 기전을 가지는지 알 수 없으나 다른 선행 연구결과와 비교해 볼 때 세포벽의 합성저해기전으로 해석하고 있다. 이러한 결과로부터, 항생제 활성을 갖는 일부 물질 또는 기능성 제품이 개발 될 것으로 예상된다.

• Advances in nano research
• /
• 제15권6호
• /
• pp.567-577
• /
• 2023

The killing of bacteria by mechanical forces on nanopatterned surfaces has been defined as a mechano-bactericidal effect. Inspired by nature, this method is a new-generation technology that does not cause toxic effects and antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to simulate the mechano-bactericidal effect of nanopatterned surfaces' geometric parameters and material properties against three implant-derived bacterial species. Here, in silico models were developed to explain the interactions between the bacterial cell and the nanopatterned surface. Numerical solutions were performed based on the finite element method. Elastic and creep deformation models of bacterial cells were created. Maximum deformation, maximum stress, maximum strain, as well as mortality of the cells were calculated. The results showed that increasing the peak sharpness and decreasing the width of the nanopatterns increased the maximum deformation, stress, and strain in the walls of the three bacterial cells. The increase in spacing between nanopatterns increased the maximum deformation, stress, and strain in E. coli and P. aeruginosa cell walls it decreased in S. aureus. The decrease in width with the increase in sharpness and spacing increased the mortality of E. coli and P. aeruginosa cells, the same values did not cause mortality in S. aureus cells. In addition, it was determined that using different materials for nanopatterns did not cause a significant change in stress, strain, and deformation. This study will accelerate and promote the production of more efficient mechano-bactericidal implant surfaces by modeling the geometric structures and material properties of nanopatterned surfaces together.

• 한국식품과학회지
• /
• 제30권3호
• /
• pp.660-664
• /
• 1998

식염용액에서 휴지미생물(non-growing microorganisms)의 사멸현상과 식염용액에서 미생물의 보호작용이 있다고 알려진 물질의 작용을 시험하였다. L. mesenteroides LA10, S. aureus B3l와 E. coli B34를 완충용액으로 제조한 0, 10, 20, 30%의 식염용액에서 배양하였을 때 각각 pH 6, 7, 5 부근에서 가장 높은 생존율을 나타내었고, 이 pH로부터 산성 또는 염기성쪽으로 변화시키거나 식염농도가 증가할 수록 생존율이 감소하였다. 젖산균 5종과 일반세균 9종 및 효모 2종의 균주를 pH 5, 6, 7로 조절한 10% 식염용액에서 실험해 본 결과 식염에 내성이 강한 pH는 미생물마다 달라 이는 균주의 특성에 속하는 것으로 사료되며 그람양성균이 그람음성균에 비해 식염내성이 높았으며 그람양성균 중에서도 젖산균이 식염에 대한 내성이 두드러지게 컸고 일반세균에서는 S. aureus가 큰 것으로 나타났다. 식염농도의 영향은 물론 pH가 식염용액에서 미생물의 사멸에 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 식염의 미생물 생육저해작용으로부터 미생물을 보호한다고 알려진 물질들의 보호작용은 관찰되지 않았다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제18권10호
• /
• pp.1621-1629
• /
• 2008

Harmful algal blooms (HABs), commonly called red tides, are caused by some toxic phytoplanktons, and have made massive economic losses as well as marine environmental disturbances. As an effective and environment-friendly strategy to control HAB outbreaks, biological methods using marine bacteria capable of killing the harmful algae or algicidal extracellular compounds from them have been given attention. A new member of the $\gamma$-Proteobacteria, Hahella chejuensis KCTC 2396, was originally isolated from the Korean seashore for its ability to secrete industrially useful polysaccharides, and was characterized to produce a red pigment. This pigment later was identified as an alkaloid compound, prodigiosin. During the past several decades, prodigiosin has been extensively studied for its medical potential as immunosuppressants and antitumor agents, owing to its antibiotic and cytotoxic activities. The lytic activity of this marvelous molecule against Cochlodinium polykrikoides cells at very low concentrations ($\sim$l ppb) was serendipitously detected, making H. chejuensis a strong candidate among the biological agents for HAB control. This review provides a brief overview of algicidal marine bacteria and their products, and describes in detail the algicidal characteristics, biosynthetic process, and genetic regulation of prodigiosin as a model among the compounds active against red-tide organisms from the biochemical and genetic viewpoints.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• 제34권1호
• /
• pp.11-22
• /
• 2018

Type VI secretion system (T6SS) has been discovered in a variety of gram-negative bacteria as a versatile weapon to stimulate the killing of eukaryotic cells or prokaryotic competitors. Type VI secretion effectors (T6SEs) are well known as key virulence factors for important pathogenic bacteria. In many Burkholderia species, T6SS has evolved as the most complicated secretion pathway with distinguished types to translocate diverse T6SEs, suggesting their essential roles in this genus. Here we attempted to detect and characterize T6SSs and potential T6SEs in target genomes of plant-associated and environmental Burkholderia species based on computational analyses. In total, 66 potential functional T6SS clusters were found in 30 target Burkholderia bacterial genomes, of which 33% possess three or four clusters. The core proteins in each cluster were specified and phylogenetic trees of three components (i.e., TssC, TssD, TssL) were constructed to elucidate the relationship among the identified T6SS clusters. Next, we identified 322 potential T6SEs in the target genomes based on homology searches and explored the important domains conserved in effector candidates. In addition, using the screening approach based on the profile hidden Markov model (pHMM) of T6SEs that possess markers for type VI effectors (MIX motif) (MIX T6SEs), 57 revealed proteins that were not included in training datasets were recognized as novel MIX T6SE candidates from the Burkholderia species. This approach could be useful to identify potential T6SEs from other bacterial genomes.