HP(2–9)-magainin 2(1–12), a synthetic hybrid peptide, exerts its antifungal effect on Candida albicans by damaging the plasma membrane

✍ Scribed by Yoonkyung Park; Dong Gun Lee; Dr Kyung-Soo Hahm

• Book ID: 105360304
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 145 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1075-2617
• DOI: 10.1002/psc.489

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In our previous study, HP(2–9)‐MA(1–12), HP‐MA for short, a hybrid peptide incorporating residues 2–9 of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 (HP) and residues 1–12 of magainin 2 (MA) was shown to have strong antibacterial activity. In this study the antifungal activity of HP‐MA was evaluated using various fungi, and it was shown that the activity was increased when compared with the parent peptides. In order to investigate the fungicidal mechanism(s) of HP‐MA its action against fungal cell membranes was examined by the potassium‐release test, which showed that HP‐MA caused an increase in the amount of K^+^ released from the cells. Furthermore, HP‐MA induced significant morphological changes. These facts suggested that the fungicidal effect of HP‐MA involves damaging the fungal cell membranes. CD investigators suggested that the α‐helical structure of these peptides plays an important role in their antibiotic effect, but that α‐helicity is less directly correlated with the enhanced antibiotic activity of the hybrid. Copyright © 2003 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.