Overuse of antibiotics combined with the slow pace of new antibiotic drug development have become a public health issue. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a promising family of molecules to fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria due to their broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Our group has been particularly interested in AMPs that increase their activity in the presence of metal ions. In order to better study the mechanisms of action of Clavanin A, a tunicate AMP, we apply bacterial cytological profiling (BCP) to study its activity as it relates to Zn(II) ions. Through BCP and principal component analysis we demonstrate here for the first time that the AMP Clavanin A can have up to three different modes of action, including a Zn(II)-dependent mechanism. Additionally, we provide further evidence for the proposed nuclease activity of Clavanin A. The information presented herein and the approach used may lead to better understanding of other AMPs that utilize metal ions and aid in the development of novel therapeutic agents.

Bioinorganic chemistry lessons from a tunicate: How can Zn(II) be used as a robust antimicrobial agent

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.