Novel Alligator Cathelicidin As-CATH8 Demonstrates Anti-Infective Activity against Clinically Relevant and Crocodylian Bacterial Pathogens.

ABSTRACT: Host defense peptides (HDPs) represent an alternative way to address the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Crocodylians are interesting species for the study of these molecules because of their potent immune system, which confers high resistance to infection. Profile hidden Markov models were used to screen the genomes of four crocodylian species for encoded cathelicidins and eighteen novel sequences were identified. Synthetic cathelicidins showed broad spectrum antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against several clinically important antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In particular, the As-CATH8 cathelicidin showed potent in vitro activity profiles similar to the last-resort antibiotics vancomycin and polymyxin B. In addition, As-CATH8 demonstrated rapid killing of planktonic and biofilm

SUBMITTER: Santana FL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9686568 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature