Optimizing the activity of the antimicrobial peptide PGLa by balancing of charge

• Grant number: 18/09749-8
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal researcher: Vani Xavier de Oliveira Junior
• Grantee: Pedro Vinicius Maravilha Mendes
• Home Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (PAMs) are bioactive molecules produced by various organisms. They are also good candidates for the fight against microorganisms pathogenic to the human body as an essential component of the immune system. One class of these PAMs, the Megainins, has shown low hemolytic activity while possessing good activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative resistant bacteria. The key positioning of some polar and nonpolar amino acids in the middle of the PGLa-H structure (PAM based on this study) may or may not enhance antibacterial activity. The present project aims to synthesize new analogs of PGLa-H, to obtain new peptides with relevant antimicrobial activity. The analogs will be synthesized by the solid phase method, purified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and characterized by Mass Spectrometry (LC / ESI-MS). Biological assays to verify antimicrobial activity will be carried out on strains of various microorganisms; and the conformational studies will be performed by Cell Dichroism (CD) and probably by nuclear magnetic resonance. Peptides that have significant antimicrobial action will be part of a complementary study.