Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities
Abstract Cryptides are a subfamily of bioactive peptides that exist in all living organisms. They are latently encrypted in their parent sequences and exhibit a wide range of biological activities when decrypted via in vivo or in vitro proteases. Cationic cryptides tend to be drawn to the negatively...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41581-9 |
| _version_ | 1797559697320968192 |
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| author | Amr Adel Ahmed Abd El-Aal Fairen Angelin Jayakumar Chandrajit Lahiri Kuan Onn Tan Kavita Reginald |
| author_facet | Amr Adel Ahmed Abd El-Aal Fairen Angelin Jayakumar Chandrajit Lahiri Kuan Onn Tan Kavita Reginald |
| author_sort | Amr Adel Ahmed Abd El-Aal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Cryptides are a subfamily of bioactive peptides that exist in all living organisms. They are latently encrypted in their parent sequences and exhibit a wide range of biological activities when decrypted via in vivo or in vitro proteases. Cationic cryptides tend to be drawn to the negatively charged membranes of microbial and cancer cells, causing cell death through various mechanisms. This makes them promising candidates for alternative antimicrobial and anti-cancer therapies, as their mechanism of action is independent of gene mutations. In the current study, we employed an in silico approach to identify novel cationic cryptides with potential antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities in atypical and systematic strategy by reanalysis of a publicly available RNA-seq dataset of Pacific white shrimp (Penaus vannamei) in response to bacterial infection. Out of 12 cryptides identified, five were selected based on their net charges and potential for cell penetration. Following chemical synthesis, the cryptides were assayed in vitro to test for their biological activities. All five cryptides demonstrated a wide range of selective activity against the tested microbial and cancer cells, their anti-biofilm activities against mature biofilms, and their ability to interact with Gram-positive and negative bacterial membranes. Our research provides a framework for a comprehensive analysis of transcriptomes in various organisms to uncover novel bioactive cationic cryptides. This represents a significant step forward in combating the crisis of multi-drug-resistant microbial and cancer cells, as these cryptides neither induce mutations nor are influenced by mutations in the cells they target. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:48:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a1af64ddbb343b1960982e5eadc897a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:48:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a1af64ddbb343b1960982e5eadc897a2023-11-20T09:25:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-09-0113111310.1038/s41598-023-41581-9Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activitiesAmr Adel Ahmed Abd El-Aal0Fairen Angelin Jayakumar1Chandrajit Lahiri2Kuan Onn Tan3Kavita Reginald4Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityAbstract Cryptides are a subfamily of bioactive peptides that exist in all living organisms. They are latently encrypted in their parent sequences and exhibit a wide range of biological activities when decrypted via in vivo or in vitro proteases. Cationic cryptides tend to be drawn to the negatively charged membranes of microbial and cancer cells, causing cell death through various mechanisms. This makes them promising candidates for alternative antimicrobial and anti-cancer therapies, as their mechanism of action is independent of gene mutations. In the current study, we employed an in silico approach to identify novel cationic cryptides with potential antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities in atypical and systematic strategy by reanalysis of a publicly available RNA-seq dataset of Pacific white shrimp (Penaus vannamei) in response to bacterial infection. Out of 12 cryptides identified, five were selected based on their net charges and potential for cell penetration. Following chemical synthesis, the cryptides were assayed in vitro to test for their biological activities. All five cryptides demonstrated a wide range of selective activity against the tested microbial and cancer cells, their anti-biofilm activities against mature biofilms, and their ability to interact with Gram-positive and negative bacterial membranes. Our research provides a framework for a comprehensive analysis of transcriptomes in various organisms to uncover novel bioactive cationic cryptides. This represents a significant step forward in combating the crisis of multi-drug-resistant microbial and cancer cells, as these cryptides neither induce mutations nor are influenced by mutations in the cells they target.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41581-9 |
| spellingShingle | Amr Adel Ahmed Abd El-Aal Fairen Angelin Jayakumar Chandrajit Lahiri Kuan Onn Tan Kavita Reginald Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities Scientific Reports |
| title | Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities |
| title_full | Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities |
| title_fullStr | Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities |
| title_short | Novel cationic cryptides in Penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities |
| title_sort | novel cationic cryptides in penaeus vannamei demonstrate antimicrobial and anti cancer activities |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41581-9 |
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