Hydrophilic Linear Peptide with Histidine and Lysine Residues As a Key Factor Affecting Antifungal Activity

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2018 Nov 30

PMID 30486512

Citations 5

Authors

Seong-Cheol Park

Jin-Young Kim

Eun-Ji Kim

Gang-Won Cheong

Yongjae Lee

Wonkyun Choi

Jung Ro Lee

Mi-Kyeong Jang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Increases in the numbers of immunocompromised patients and the emergence of drug-resistance fungal pathogens have led to the need for new, safe, efficacious antifungal agents. In this study, we designed a histidine-lysine-lysine (HKK) motif and synthesized six HKK peptides with repetitions of the motif. These peptides showed length-dependent antifungal activity against drug-susceptible and drug-resistant fungal pathogens via membranolytic or non-membranolytic action. None of the peptides were cytotoxic to rat erythrocytes or NIH3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Short-length peptides were directly translocated in fungal cytosol and reacted with mitochondria, resulting in apoptosis. Membrane-permeabilizing activity occurred in the presence of long peptides, and peptides were able to transfer to the cytosol and induce reactive oxygen species. Our results suggest that peptides composed only of cationic amino acids may be good candidates as antifungal agents.

Citing Articles

His-Ala-Phe-Lys peptide from possesses antifungal activity.

Zhu H, Xu C, Chen Y, Liang Y Front Microbiol. 2022; 13:1071530.

PMID: 36560956 PMC: 9763614. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1071530.

Lycosin-II Exhibits Antifungal Activity and Inhibits Dual-Species Biofilm by and .

Park J, Kim H, Kang H, Choi M, Park Y J Fungi (Basel). 2022; 8(9).

PMID: 36135626 PMC: 9504746. DOI: 10.3390/jof8090901.

Antifungal Peptides as Therapeutic Agents.

Fernandez de Ullivarri M, Arbulu S, Garcia-Gutierrez E, Cotter P Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020; 10:105.

PMID: 32257965 PMC: 7089922. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00105.

Anti-Biofilm Effects of Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides Against Drug-Resistant and Planktonic Cells and Biofilm.

Park S, Lee M, Kim J, Kim H, Jung M, Shin M Molecules. 2019; 24(24).

PMID: 31842508 PMC: 6943720. DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244560.

Functional Mechanisms Underlying the Antimicrobial Activity of the Trx-like Protein.

Park S, Kim I, Hwang J, Kim J, Jung Y, Choi W Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 20(6).

PMID: 30897830 PMC: 6471494. DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061413.

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