Publications by authors named "Danijela Simonovic"
We have synthesised short analogues of the marine antimicrobial peptide Turgencin A from the colonial Arctic ascidian In this study, we focused on a central, cationic 12-residue Cys-Cys loop region within the sequence. Modified (tryptophan- and arginine-enriched) linear peptides were compared with Cys-Cys cyclic derivatives, and both linear and Cys-cyclic peptides were N-terminally acylated with octanoic acid (C), decanoic acid (C) or dodecanoic acid (C). The highest antimicrobial potency was achieved by introducing dodecanoic acid to a cyclic Turgencin A analogue with low intrinsic hydrophobicity, and by introducing octanoic acid to a cyclic analogue displaying a higher intrinsic hydrophobicity.
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- Turgencin A, an antimicrobial peptide from Arctic sea squirt, is difficult to synthesize due to its structure, prompting efforts to create a simpler variant for potential medical use.
- The study involved analyzing and modifying shorter peptide sequences, synthesizing a derivative without cysteine, and optimizing its antimicrobial efficacy while checking for toxicity.
- The final improved peptide exhibited effective bactericidal properties without harming mammalian cells, indicating its potential as a new antimicrobial agent targeting bacterial membranes.