Identification of a crocodylian β-defensin variant from Alligator mississippiensis with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity

Santana, Felix L.; Arenas, Iván; Haney, Evan F.; Estrada, Karel; Hancock, Robert E. W.; Corzo, Gerardo

doi:10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170549

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Interestingly, reptile β-defensins, toxin components, and peptides with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against A. baumannii and other MDR bacteria have been described as a component of the innate immune system in different species, which might represent promising treatment options, even in human infections, especially when outperforming human homologues [ 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 ]. Reptiles might also cope with facultative pathogenic bacterial loads by a higher activity of antimicrobial molecules that could, for instance, be found in snakes and water monitors inhabiting polluted environments [ 84 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Imported Pet Reptiles and Their “Blind Passengers”—In-Depth Characterization of 80 Acinetobacter Species Isolates

Unger

Eisenberg²,

Prenger‐Berninghoff

et al. 2022

Microorganisms

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Reptiles are popular pet animals and important food sources, but the trade of this vertebrate class is—besides welfare and conservation—under debate due to zoonotic microbiota. Ninety-two shipments of live reptiles were sampled during border inspections at Europe’s most relevant transshipment point for the live animal trade. Acinetobacter spp. represented one significant fraction of potentially MDR bacteria that were further analyzed following non-selective isolation or selective enrichment from feces, urinate, or skin samples. Taxonomic positions of respective isolates were confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS and whole-genome sequencing analysis (GBDP, dDDH, ANIb, and rMLST). The majority of the 80 isolates represented established species; however, a proportion of potentially novel taxa was found. Antimicrobial properties and genome-resistance gene screening revealed novel and existing resistance mechanisms. Acinetobacter spp. strains were most often resistant to 6–10 substance groups (n = 63) in vitro. Resistance to fluorchinolones (n = 4) and colistin (n = 7), but not to carbapenems, was noted, and novel oxacillinase variants (n = 39) were detected among other genes. Phylogenetic analysis (MLST) assigned few isolates to the known STs (25, 46, 49, 220, and 249) and to a number of novel STs. No correlation was found to indicate that MDR Acinetobacter spp. in reptiles were associated with harvesting mode, e.g., captive-bred, wild-caught, or farmed in natural ecosystems. The community of Acinetobacter spp. in healthy reptiles turned out to be highly variable, with many isolates displaying a MDR phenotype or genotype.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Imported Pet Reptiles and Their “Blind Passengers”—In-Depth Characterization of 80 Acinetobacter Species Isolates

Unger

Eisenberg²,

Prenger‐Berninghoff

et al. 2022

Microorganisms

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“…Immortalized human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells (16HBE14o-) were used for in vitro cytotoxicity experiments as described elsewhere [ 52 , 88 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Peptide-induced cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring the extracellular activity of the LDH enzyme using the Cytotoxicity Detection Kit (MilliporeSigma, Burlington, MA, USA) as previously described [ 80 , 88 ]. The percentage of LDH release relative to the untreated (negative) and Triton X-100 (positive, 100% cytotoxicity) control was assessed for at least three biological replicates and recorded as percent cytotoxicity.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Alligator Cathelicidin As-CATH8 Demonstrates Anti-Infective Activity against Clinically Relevant and Crocodylian Bacterial Pathogens

et al. 2022

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Host defense peptides (HDPs) represent an alternative way to address the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Crocodylians are interesting species for the study of these molecules because of their potent immune system, which confers high resistance to infection. Profile hidden Markov models were used to screen the genomes of four crocodylian species for encoded cathelicidins and eighteen novel sequences were identified. Synthetic cathelicidins showed broad spectrum antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against several clinically important antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In particular, the As-CATH8 cathelicidin showed potent in vitro activity profiles similar to the last-resort antibiotics vancomycin and polymyxin B. In addition, As-CATH8 demonstrated rapid killing of planktonic and biofilm cells, which correlated with its ability to cause cytoplasmic membrane depolarization and permeabilization as well as binding to DNA. As-CATH8 displayed greater antibiofilm activity than the human cathelicidin LL-37 against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a human organoid model of biofilm skin infection. Furthermore, As-CATH8 demonstrated strong antibacterial effects in a murine abscess model of high-density bacterial infections against clinical isolates of S. aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii, two of the most common bacterial species causing skin infections globally. Overall, this work expands the repertoire of cathelicidin peptides known in crocodylians, including one with considerable therapeutic promise for treating common skin infections.

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“…These peptides are produced as part of the host‐defense innate immune response by cells throughout the body, including epithelium, endothelium, and white blood cells (van Hoek et al, 2019). In most cases, β‐defensin peptides are small, formed by a sequence of 36–50 amino acids, and contain a characteristic conserved pattern of six cysteines and associated disulfide bonds (Santana et al, 2021). They arise from a larger protein precursor of 90–110 amino acids, which consists of a 19–20 amino acid signal sequence, a pro‐peptide sequence of 45–50 amino acids, and a peptide of 32–36 amino acids at the C‐terminus, which is cleaved from the remaining protein to form a mature and active peptide.…”

Section: Reptiliamentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of vertebrate skin structure at class level: A review

Akat

Yenmiş

Pombal

et al. 2022

The Anatomical Record

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The skin is a barrier between the internal and external environment of an organism. Depending on the species, it participates in multiple functions. The skin is the organ that holds the body together, covers and protects it, and provides communication with its environment. It is also the body's primary line of defense, especially for anamniotes. All vertebrates have multilayered skin composed of three main layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. The vital mission of the integument in aquatic vertebrates is mucus secretion. Cornification began in apmhibians, improved in reptilians, and endured in avian and mammalian epidermis. The feather, the most ostentatious and functional structure of avian skin, evolved in the Mesozoic period. After the extinction of the dinosaurs, birds continued to diversify, followed by the enlargement, expansion, and diversification of mammals, which brings us to the most complicated skin organization of mammals with differing glands, cells, physiological pathways, and the evolution of hair. Throughout these radical changes, some features were preserved among classes such as basic dermal structure, pigment cell types, basic coloration genetics, and similar sensory features, which enable us to track the evolutionary path. The structural and physiological properties of the skin in all classes of vertebrates are presented. The purpose of this review is to go all the way back to the agnathans and follow the path step by step up to mammals to provide a comparative large and updated survey about vertebrate skin in terms of morphology, physiology, genetics, ecology, and immunology.

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Identification of a crocodylian β-defensin variant from Alligator mississippiensis with antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity

Cited by 10 publications

References 83 publications

Imported Pet Reptiles and Their “Blind Passengers”—In-Depth Characterization of 80 Acinetobacter Species Isolates

Imported Pet Reptiles and Their “Blind Passengers”—In-Depth Characterization of 80 Acinetobacter Species Isolates

Novel Alligator Cathelicidin As-CATH8 Demonstrates Anti-Infective Activity against Clinically Relevant and Crocodylian Bacterial Pathogens

Comparison of vertebrate skin structure at class level: A review

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