Novel Peptides Targeting the β-Clamp Rapidly Kill Planktonic and Biofilm Staphylococcus epidermidis Both in vitro and in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing threat to global health and challenges the way we treat infections. Peptides containing the PCNA interacting motif APIM (APIM-peptides) were recently shown to bind to the bacterial PCNA homolog, the beta (β)-clamp, and to have both antibacterial and anti-mutagenic activities. In this study we explore the antibacterial effects of these peptides on Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterial species commonly found in prosthetic joint infections (PJI). Drug-resistant bacterial isolates from PJIs often lead to difficult-to-treat chronic infections. We show that APIM-peptides have a rapid bactericidal effect which when used at sublethal levels also increase the efficacy of gentamicin. In addition, APIM-peptides reduce development and eliminate alread

SUBMITTER: Raeder SB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8009970 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature