Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Synergistic Effect and Antibiofilm Activity Between the Antimicrobial Peptide Coprisin and Conventional Antibiotics Against Opportunistic Bacteria

  • Published:
Current Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coprisin is a 43-mer defensin-like peptide from the dung beetle, Copris tripartitus. In this study, we tested its minimum inhibitory concentration and performed combination assays to confirm the antibacterial susceptibility of coprisin and synergistic effects with antibiotics. The synergistic effects were evaluated by testing the effects of coprisin in combination with ampicillin, vancomycin, and chloramphenicol. The results showed that coprisin possessed antibacterial properties and had synergistic activities with the antibiotics. To understand the synergistic mechanism(s), we conducted hydroxyl radical assays. Coprisin alone and in combination with antibiotics generated hydroxyl radicals, which are highly reactive oxygen forms and the major property of bactericidal agents. Furthermore, the antibiofilm effect of coprisin alone and in combination with antibiotics was investigated. Biofilm formation is the source of many relentless and chronic bacterial infections. The results indicated that coprisin alone and in combination with antibiotics also had antibiofilm activity. Therefore, we conclude that coprisin has the potential to be used as a combinatorial therapeutic agent for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by bacteria.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Archer GL (1998) Staphylococcus aureus: a well-armed pathogen. Clin Infect Dis 26:1179–1181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Batoni G, Maisetta G, Brancatisano FL, Esin S, Campa M (2011) Use of antimicrobial peptides against microbial biofilms: advantages and limits. Curr Med Chem 18:256–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Brogden KA (2005) Antimicrobial peptides: pore formers or metabolic inhibitors in bacteria? Nat Rev Microbiol 3:238–250

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Christensen GD, Simpson WA, Younger JJ, Baddour LM, Barrett FF, Melton DM, Beachey EH (1985) Adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to plastic tissue culture plates: a quantitative model for the adherence of staphylococci to medical devices. J Clin Microbiol 22:996–1006

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Costerton JW, Irvin RT, Cheng KJ (1981) The bacterial glycocalyx in nature and disease. Ann Rev Microbiol 35:299–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Eliopoulos GM, Moellering RC (1991) Antimicrobial combinations. In: Lorian V (ed) Antibiotics in laboratory medicine, 3rd edn. The Williams &Wilkins Co., Maryland, pp 432–492

    Google Scholar 

  7. Gomes F, Teixeira P, Cerca N, Azeredo J, Oliveira R (2011) Effect of farnesol on structure and composition of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm matrix. Curr Microbiol 63:354–359

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hwang JS, Lee J, Kim YJ, Bang HS, Yun EY, Kim SR, Suh HJ, Kang BR, Nam SH, Jeon JP, Kim I, Lee DG (2009) Isolation and characterization of a defensin-like peptide (coprisin) from the dung beetle, Copris tripartitus. Int J Pept 2009:1–5

  9. Kim JS, Heo P, Yang TJ, Lee KS, Jin YS, Kim SK, Shin D, Kweon DH (2011) Bacterial persisters tolerate antibiotics by not producing hydroxyl radicals. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 413:105–110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kohanski MA, Dwyer DJ, Hayete B, Lawrence CA, Collins JJ (2007) A common mechanism of cellular death induced by bactericidal antibiotics. Cell 130:797–810

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Lee J, Hwang JS, Hwang I, Cho J, Lee E, Kim Y, Lee DG (2012) Coprisin-induced antifungal effects in Candida albicans correlate with apoptotic mechanisms. Free Radic Biol Med 52:2302–2311

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Mazumdar K, Dutta NK, Kumar KA, Dastidar SG (2005) In vitro and in vivo synergism between tetracycline and the cardiovascular agent oxyfedrine HCl against common bacterial strains. Biol Pharm Bull 28:713–717

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Merrifield B (1986) Solid phase synthesis. Science 232:341–347

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Monroe D (2007) Looking for chinks in the armor of bacterial biofilms. PLoS Biol 5:e307

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Price M, Reiners JJ, Santiago AM, Kessel D (2009) Monitoring singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radical formation with fluorescent probes during photodynamic therapy. Photochem Photobiol 85:1177–1181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sheppard R (2003) The fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl group in solid phase synthesis. J Pept Sci 9:545–552

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Wayne PA (2003) Methods for dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests for bacteria that grow aerobically. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M7-A6

  18. Wayne PA (2005) Performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing, fifteenth informational supplement. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute MS100-S15

  19. Wei GX, Campagna AN, Bobek LA (2006) Effect of MUC7 peptides on the growth of bacteria and on Streptococcus mutans biofilm. J Antimicrob Chemother 57:1100–1109

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Yeaman MR, Yount NY (2003) Mechanisms of antimicrobial peptide action and resistance. Pharmacol Rev 55:27–55

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This study was supported by a Grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (No.PJ008158), the Rural Development Administration, the Republic of Korea.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daehak-ro 80, Buk-gu, Daegu, 702-701, Republic of Korea

    In-sok Hwang, Ji Hong Hwang, Hyemin Choi & Dong Gun Lee

  2. National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Jae-Sam Hwang

  3. Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Eunjung Lee & Yangmee Kim

Authors
  1. In-sok Hwang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jae-Sam Hwang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ji Hong Hwang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hyemin Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Eunjung Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yangmee Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Dong Gun Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong Gun Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hwang, Is., Hwang, JS., Hwang, J.H. et al. Synergistic Effect and Antibiofilm Activity Between the Antimicrobial Peptide Coprisin and Conventional Antibiotics Against Opportunistic Bacteria. Curr Microbiol 66, 56–60 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-012-0239-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-012-0239-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation