Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i>
<i>Candida auris</i> has emerged as a pan-resistant pathogenic yeast among immunocompromised patients worldwide. As this pathogen is involved in biofilm-associated infections with serious medical manifestations due to the collective expression of pathogenic attributes and factors associa...
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/12/1298 |
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| author | Majid Rasool Kamli Jamal S. M. Sabir Maqsood Ahmad Malik Aijaz Ahmad |
| author_facet | Majid Rasool Kamli Jamal S. M. Sabir Maqsood Ahmad Malik Aijaz Ahmad |
| author_sort | Majid Rasool Kamli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Candida auris</i> has emerged as a pan-resistant pathogenic yeast among immunocompromised patients worldwide. As this pathogen is involved in biofilm-associated infections with serious medical manifestations due to the collective expression of pathogenic attributes and factors associated with drug resistance, successful treatment becomes a major concern. In the present study, we investigated the candidicidal activity of a plant defensin peptide named defensin-like protein 1 (D-lp1) against twenty-five clinical strains of <i>C. auris</i>. Furthermore, following the standard protocols, the D-lp1 was analyzed for its anti-biofilm and anti-virulence properties. The impact of these peptides on membrane integrity was also evaluated. For cytotoxicity determination, a hemolytic assay was conducted using horse blood. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values ranged from 0.047–0.78 mg/mL and 0.095–1.56 mg/mL, respectively. D-lp1 at sub-inhibitory concentrations potentially abrogated both biofilm formation and 24-h mature biofilms. Similarly, the peptide severely impacted virulence attributes in the clinical strain of <i>C. auris</i>. For the insight mechanism, D-lp1 displayed a strong impact on the cell membrane integrity of the test pathogen. It is important to note that D-lp1 at sub-inhibitory concentrations displayed minimal hemolytic activity against horse blood cells. Therefore, it is highly useful to correlate the anti-<i>Candida</i> property of D-lp1 along with anti-biofilm and anti-virulent properties against <i>C. auris</i>, with the aim of discovering an alternative strategy for combating serious biofilm-associated infections caused by <i>C. auris</i>. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:14:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b218168976f9439c9c971cb1f9e004ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:14:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-b218168976f9439c9c971cb1f9e004ee2023-11-24T16:00:05ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2022-12-01812129810.3390/jof8121298Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i>Majid Rasool Kamli0Jamal S. M. Sabir1Maqsood Ahmad Malik2Aijaz Ahmad3Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa<i>Candida auris</i> has emerged as a pan-resistant pathogenic yeast among immunocompromised patients worldwide. As this pathogen is involved in biofilm-associated infections with serious medical manifestations due to the collective expression of pathogenic attributes and factors associated with drug resistance, successful treatment becomes a major concern. In the present study, we investigated the candidicidal activity of a plant defensin peptide named defensin-like protein 1 (D-lp1) against twenty-five clinical strains of <i>C. auris</i>. Furthermore, following the standard protocols, the D-lp1 was analyzed for its anti-biofilm and anti-virulence properties. The impact of these peptides on membrane integrity was also evaluated. For cytotoxicity determination, a hemolytic assay was conducted using horse blood. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values ranged from 0.047–0.78 mg/mL and 0.095–1.56 mg/mL, respectively. D-lp1 at sub-inhibitory concentrations potentially abrogated both biofilm formation and 24-h mature biofilms. Similarly, the peptide severely impacted virulence attributes in the clinical strain of <i>C. auris</i>. For the insight mechanism, D-lp1 displayed a strong impact on the cell membrane integrity of the test pathogen. It is important to note that D-lp1 at sub-inhibitory concentrations displayed minimal hemolytic activity against horse blood cells. Therefore, it is highly useful to correlate the anti-<i>Candida</i> property of D-lp1 along with anti-biofilm and anti-virulent properties against <i>C. auris</i>, with the aim of discovering an alternative strategy for combating serious biofilm-associated infections caused by <i>C. auris</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/12/1298<i>C. auris</i>D-lp1anti-biofilmanti-virulencemembrane integrity |
| spellingShingle | Majid Rasool Kamli Jamal S. M. Sabir Maqsood Ahmad Malik Aijaz Ahmad Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i> Journal of Fungi <i>C. auris</i> D-lp1 anti-biofilm anti-virulence membrane integrity |
| title | Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i> |
| title_full | Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i> |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i> |
| title_short | Characterization of Defensin-like Protein 1 for Its Anti-Biofilm and Anti-Virulence Properties for the Development of Novel Antifungal Drug against <i>Candida auris</i> |
| title_sort | characterization of defensin like protein 1 for its anti biofilm and anti virulence properties for the development of novel antifungal drug against i candida auris i |
| topic | <i>C. auris</i> D-lp1 anti-biofilm anti-virulence membrane integrity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/12/1298 |
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