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Synthesis and in Silico Modelling of the Potential Dual Mechanistic Activity of Small Cationic Peptides Potentiating the Antibiotic Novobiocin against Susceptible and Multi-Drug Resistant Escherichia coli

Passarini, I; Resende, PED; Soares, S; Tahmasi, T; Stapleton, P; Malkinson, J; Zloh, M; (2020) Synthesis and in Silico Modelling of the Potential Dual Mechanistic Activity of Small Cationic Peptides Potentiating the Antibiotic Novobiocin against Susceptible and Multi-Drug Resistant Escherichia coli. International Journal of Molecular Sciences , 21 (23) , Article 9134. 10.3390/ijms21239134. Green open access

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Abstract

Cationic antimicrobial peptides have attracted interest, both as antimicrobial agents and for their ability to increase cell permeability to potentiate other antibiotics. However, toxicity to mammalian cells and complexity have hindered development for clinical use. We present the design and synthesis of very short cationic peptides (3–9 residues) with potential dual bacterial membrane permeation and efflux pump inhibition functionality. Peptides were designed based upon in silico similarity to known active peptides and efflux pump inhibitors. A number of these peptides potentiate the activity of the antibiotic novobiocin against susceptible Escherichia coli and restore antibiotic activity against a multi-drug resistant E. coli strain, despite having minimal or no intrinsic antimicrobial activity. Molecular modelling studies, via docking studies and short molecular dynamics simulations, indicate two potential mechanisms of potentiating activity; increasing antibiotic cell permeation via complexation with novobiocin to enable self-promoted uptake, and binding the E. coli RND efflux pump. These peptides demonstrate potential for restoring the activity of hydrophobic drugs.

Type: Article
Title: Synthesis and in Silico Modelling of the Potential Dual Mechanistic Activity of Small Cationic Peptides Potentiating the Antibiotic Novobiocin against Susceptible and Multi-Drug Resistant Escherichia coli
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239134
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21239134
Language: English
Additional information: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
Keywords: antimicrobial peptides; antimicrobial resistance; efflux pump inhibitor; molecular similarity; molecular dynamics; docking; peptide synthesis; antibiotic potentiation
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Pharma and Bio Chemistry
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10116837
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