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Title: Antimicrobial activity of bacteriophage derived triple fusion protein against Staphylococcus aureus

Journal Article · · AIMS Microbiology
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD (United States). Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE). Agricultural Research Service (ARS). U.S. National Arboretum. Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit
  2. Kerry’s Nursery, Miami, FL (United States)
  3. US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD (United States). Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Lab.
  4. US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD (United States). Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Lab.
  5. US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD (United States). Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Molecular Plant Pathology Lab.

The increasing spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has led to the necessity of developing alternative antimicrobial treatments. The use of peptidoglycan hydrolases is a promising approach to combat bacterial infections. In our study, we constructed a 2 kb-triple-acting fusion gene (TF) encoding the N-terminal amidase-5 domain of streptococcal LambdaSA2 prophage endolysin (Dglutamine-L-lysin endopeptidase), a mid-protein amidase-2 domain derived from the staphylococcal phage 2638A endolysin (N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase) and the mature version (246 residues) of the Staphylococcus simulans Lysostaphin bacteriocin (glycyl-glycine endopeptidase) at the C-terminus. The TF gene was expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using the nonreplicating Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV)-based vector pEAQ-HT and the replicating Alternanthera mosaic virus (AltMV)-based pGD5TGB1L8823-MCS-CP3 vector, and in Escherichia coli using pET expression vectors pET26b+ and pET28a+. The resulting poor expression of this fusion protein in plants prompted the construction of a TF gene codon-optimized for expression in tobacco plants, resulting in an improved codon adaptation index (CAI) from 0.79 (TF gene) to 0.93 (TFnt gene). Incorporation of the TFnt gene into the pEAQ-HT vector, followed by transient expression in N. benthamiana, led to accumulation of TFnt to an approximate level of 0.12 mg/g of fresh leaf weight. Antimicrobial activity of purified plant- and bacterial-produced TFnt proteins was assessed against two strains of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus 305 and Newman. The results showed that plant-produced TFnt protein was preferentially active against S. aureus 305, showing 14% of growth inhibition, while the bacterial-produced TFnt revealed significant antimicrobial activity against both strains, showing 68 (IC50 25 µg/ml) and 60% (IC50 71 µg/ml) growth inhibition against S. aureus 305 and Newman, respectively. Although the combination of codon optimization and transient expression using the non-replicating pEAQ-HT expression vector facilitated production of the TFnt protein in plants, the most functionally active antimicrobial protein was obtained using the prokaryotic expression system.

Research Organization:
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD (United States). Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Contributing Organization:
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, MD (United States). Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE). Agricultural Research Service (ARS). U.S. National Arboretum. Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0014664
OSTI ID:
1629709
Journal Information:
AIMS Microbiology, Vol. 5, Issue 2; ISSN 2471-1888
Publisher:
AIMS PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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