Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Model Membrane Interactions and Biological Activity of a Naphthalimide-Containing BP100

Version 1 : Received: 1 February 2021 / Approved: 2 February 2021 / Online: 2 February 2021 (19:14:58 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Carretero, G.P.B.; Saraiva, G.K.V.; Rodrigues, M.A.; Kiyota, S.; Bemquerer, M.P.; Chaimovich, H.; Cuccovia, I.M. Naphthalimide-Containing BP100 Leads to Higher Model Membranes Interactions and Antimicrobial Activity. Biomolecules 2021, 11, 542. Carretero, G.P.B.; Saraiva, G.K.V.; Rodrigues, M.A.; Kiyota, S.; Bemquerer, M.P.; Chaimovich, H.; Cuccovia, I.M. Naphthalimide-Containing BP100 Leads to Higher Model Membranes Interactions and Antimicrobial Activity. Biomolecules 2021, 11, 542.

Abstract

In a large variety of organisms, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are primary defences against pathogens. BP100 (KKLFKKILKYL-NH2), a short, synthetic, and cationic AMP, is active against bacteria and displays low toxicity towards eukaryotic cells. BP100 acquires an α-helical conformation upon interaction with membranes and increases membrane permeability. Despite the volume of information available, the mechanism of action of BP100, the selectivity of its biological effects, and its applications are far from consensual. In this work, we synthesized a fluorescent BP100 analog containing naphthalimide linked to its N-terminal end, Napht-BP100 (Napht-AAKKLFKKILKYL-NH2). The fluorescence properties of naphthalimides, especially their spectral sensitivity to microenvironment changes, are well established, and their biological activities against different types of cells are known. A wide variety of techniques were used to demonstrate that a-helical Napht-BP100 was bound and permeabilized POPC and POPG LUV. Napht-BP100, different from that observed for BP100, was bound to, and permeabilized POPC LUV. With zwitterionic (POPC) and negatively charged (POPG) containing LUVs, membrane surface high peptide/lipid ratios triggered complete disruption of the liposomes in a detergent-like manner. This disruption was driven by charge neutralization, lipid aggregation, and membrane destabilization. Napht-BP100 also interacted with double-stranded DNA, indicating that this peptide could also affect other cellular processes in addition to membrane destabilization. Napht-BP100 showed superior antibacterial activity, increased hemolytic activity compared to BP100, and may constitute an efficient antimicrobial agent for dermatological use. By conjugating BP100 and naphthalimide antimicrobial properties, Napht-BP100 was bound more efficiently to the bacterial membrane and could destabilize the membrane and enter the cell by interacting with its cytoplasm- exposed DNA.

Keywords

Antimicrobial peptide; BP100; Model membranes; Spectroscopy; Calorimetry; Biological activity

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.