화학공학소재연구정보센터
Biotechnology Letters, Vol.31, No.2, 233-237, 2009
Effect of dimerization of a beta-turn antimicrobial peptide, PST13-RK, on antimicrobial activity and mammalian cell toxicity
PST13-RK (KKKFPWWWPFKKK-NH2) is an improved derivative of tritrpticin adopting a beta-turn structure. In order to investigate the effect of dimerization of PST13-RK on antimicrobial activity and mammalian cell toxicity, we designed and synthesized its Cys- and Lys-linked dimers. The dimerization of PST13-RK resulted in a 2-4 fold decreased antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, the dimers showed a large increase in mammalian cell toxicity against mouse NIH-3T3, human MDA-MB-361, and human A549 cells. These results suggested that PST13-RK is active as a monomer to bacterial cells but as an oligomer to mammalian cells. Since the dimeric PST13-RK is much more effective against the cancer cells than the monomer, it might be an attractive candidate for anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs.