In silico design of phage-derived antimicrobial peptides for the eradication of Enterococcus faecium
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47187/cssn.Vol15.Iss1.276Keywords:
Phage therapy, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), Enterococcus faecium, biofilm eradication, , antimicrobial resistanceAbstract
Introduction: Enterococcus faecium has raised growing concern due to its association with nosocomial infections and antibiotic resistance, being responsible for most vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections and forming biofilms that confer resistance to antibiotics such as linezolid and tigecycline. Materials and Methods: Peptides derived from phages vB_Efm_LG62 and vB_EfKS5 were designed for E. faecium. The AMP Scanner vr.2 server was used to identify candidates for antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and then the servers CellPPD, dPABB, and ToxinPred were used to evaluate penetration into bacterial cells, eradication of biofilms, and toxicity, respectively. Results: Proteins with antibacterial activity were identified as a basis for the identification of AMPs, which showed good cell penetration, ability to eradicate biofilms, and low toxicity. Discussion: AMPs derived from phages feature HNH domains and ATP-dependent metalloproteases, as well as putative activities of sigma factor and NAMLAA associated with bacterial lysis or phage replication. Conclusion: The in silico design of phage peptides offers a promising solution for treating E. faecium infections and other bacteria, highlighting the potential of AMPs to advance antimicrobial therapy in the face of antibiotic resistance.
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