The Antimicrobial Peptide D-CONGA-Q7 Eradicates Drug-Resistant <i>E. coli</i> by Disrupting Bacterial Cell Membranes
<i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) is a zoonotic bacterium widespread in the environment, highly transmissible, and responsible for significant economic losses and millions of cases of illness annually. The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains has rendered last-lin...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/3/226 |
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| Summary: | <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) is a zoonotic bacterium widespread in the environment, highly transmissible, and responsible for significant economic losses and millions of cases of illness annually. The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains has rendered last-line antibiotics such as polymyxin and meropenem ineffective, making the development of new antibiotics urgent. Although D-CONGA-Q7 has broad-spectrum bactericidal activity, its underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we used in vitro and in vivo experiments to demonstrate that D-CONGA-Q7 effectively kills both antibiotic-sensitive and multidrug-resistant strains of <i>E. coli</i>. D-CONGA-Q7 disrupts the cell membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, and the treatment of <i>E. coli</i> strain <i>LN175</i> with D-CONGA-Q7 resulted in a significant up-regulation of the <i>Mlac</i> gene, suggesting that D-CONGA-Q7 may interact with phospholipids in the cell membrane. Furthermore, in treating <i>K88</i>-induced bacterial enteritis in the small intestine, D-CONGA-Q7 significantly reduced intestinal inflammation. In conclusion, this study provides a novel approach to combat drug-resistant <i>E. coli</i>. |
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| ISSN: | 2079-7737 |