Antimicrobial activity of synthetic Dq-3162, a 28-residue ponericin G-like dinoponeratoxin from the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps venom, against carbapenem-resistant bacteria. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dodou Lima, Hilania V.; Sidrim de Paula Cavalcante, Carolina; Rádis-Baptista, Gandhi
• Is Part Of: Toxicon. Volume 187(2020)
• Page Start: 19
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Dinoponera quadriceps -- Ant venom peptide -- Dinoponeratoxin -- Antimicrobial peptide -- Anti-infective agent -- Antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Toxins -- Periodicals; Venom -- Periodicals; 615.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.08.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0041-0101

Abstract

Abstract: The predatory giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps is one of the largest venomous ants on Earth. The venom of D. quadriceps comprises a rich blend of bioactive peptides that includes structures related to at least five classes of antimicrobial peptides. In the present study, two representative synthetic peptides, sDq-2562 and sDq-3162, belonging to the ponericin-like dinoponeratoxin family, were evaluated for their microbicide activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The most effective peptide, the 28-residue sDq-3162 displayed a significant bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) between 5 μM and 10 μM (15.6 μg mL −1 and 31.2 μg mL −1 ), according to the strain of drug-resistant bacteria tested. In combination with conventional antibiotics, sDq-3162 displayed in vitro synergistic effects, reducing the MICs of antibiotics for more than 2-log against clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with low cytotoxicity to human erythrocytes, in vitro . Since the development of molecules to circumvent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is demanding, ant venom peptides arise as useful molecular resources to contribute with the antimicrobial arsenal and therapeutic strategies to fight clinically relevant microbial infections. Highlights: sDq-3162: the synthetic version of a ponericin-like peptide from the venom of the giant ant D. quadriceps . sDq-3162 is active against antibiotic-resistant bacteria at low micromolar concentrations. sDq-3162 in combination with conventional antibiotics exhibits synergistic bactericide effect. The peptide sDq-3162 restores the efficacy of conventional antibiotics in vitro .