Publications by authors named "Jesse M Jaynes"
Article Synopsis
- Researchers optimized synthetic antimicrobial peptides to enhance their effectiveness against fungal and bacterial pathogens, aiming to genetically engineer plants for better disease resistance.
- Nine synthetic peptides were tested on various fungal spores and bacterial cultures, revealing GV185 and GV187 as the most potent in inhibiting microbial growth with low inhibitory concentrations.
- The study found that these two peptides caused visible damage to fungal cells, indicating their potential utility in developing resistant crops against plant pathogens and mycotoxins like aflatoxin.
J Fungi (Basel)
September 2020
Article Synopsis
- Cutaneous fungal wound infections following serious injuries or natural disasters pose significant clinical challenges, leading to high morbidity and a 38% mortality rate.
- Immediate treatment with designed antimicrobial peptides (dAMPs) is necessary, as they target both fungi and bacteria and are effective against biofilm, offering a potential solution for these hard-to-treat wounds.
- Research on seven innovative dAMPs shows promising broad-spectrum effectiveness with low toxicity to human cells, indicating they could serve as first-line topical treatments for traumatic wound injuries if successfully implemented in clinical settings.
Sci Transl Med
February 2020
Article Synopsis
- Solid tumors trigger an immune response, but this response often aids tumor growth instead of fighting it, mainly due to the presence of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).
- RP-182 is a synthetic compound that targets the mannose receptor on M2-like macrophages, reprogramming them from supporting tumors to an antitumor M1-like phenotype, which boosts immune activity.
- In various murine cancer models, RP-182 showed success in slowing tumor growth and enhancing survival, especially when used alongside traditional therapies, while also increasing the phagocytosis of cancer cells by the reprogrammed TAMs.
J Pharm Biomed Anal
March 2020
Article Synopsis
- Synthetic host defense peptides (HDP), like RP-182, are being developed as promising treatments to enhance anti-tumor immunity by targeting specific macrophages in tumors.
- A new sensitive method using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry was created to measure RP-182 in complex biological samples, specifically mouse plasma and tissue homogenates.
- The method showed good accuracy and precision in detecting low concentrations of RP-182, and it was also applicable to other HDPs, indicating its potential for broader use in research.
BMC Res Notes
October 2019
Article Synopsis
- Toxoplasma gondii infects about a third of the global population, and existing treatments have limitations like ineffectiveness and side effects, highlighting the need for new drugs.
- Research tested oil-like crude extracts from Sorghum bicolor, traditionally used in Africa for treating infections, for their anti-Toxoplasma activity.
- The study found that these extracts significantly inhibited T. gondii growth with minimal toxicity to human cells, suggesting potential for developing new treatments or nutraceuticals.
Front Microbiol
July 2019
Article Synopsis
- The rise of multidrug resistance and stubborn biofilm formation poses significant challenges in treating wounds, especially in military settings that require broad-spectrum pathogen coverage.
- RP557, a designed antimicrobial peptide (dAMP), shows promising results against various bacteria and fungi, effectively targeting hard-to-treat biofilms while sparing human cells from damage.
- In animal studies, RP557 demonstrated the ability to eliminate infections, including drug-resistant strains, suggesting it could play a vital role in future treatments for wound infections in military and other settings.
Article Synopsis
- Aspergillus flavus is a harmful fungus that affects maize, producing toxic substances called aflatoxins that threaten human health and reduce the crop's economic value.
- Researchers designed a synthetic peptide named AGM182, derived from tachyplesin1, which demonstrated a five-fold increase in antifungal activity against A. flavus in lab tests.
- Transgenic maize plants expressing AGM182 showed significant reductions in fungal growth (up to 72%) and aflatoxin levels (76-98%), showcasing the potential of synthetic biology to improve crop safety and quality.
Parasitol Res
December 2017
Article Synopsis
- Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread parasite affecting a significant portion of the global population, particularly those with weakened immune systems.
- Researchers tested five synthetic 3-deoxyanthocyaninidin compounds for their effectiveness against T. gondii and found strong inhibitory effects with minimal harm to human cells.
- The study suggests that these compounds could be promising candidates for treating human toxoplasmosis due to their antiparasitic properties.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the effectiveness of dried red leaf extracts from Sorghum bicolor against Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites using bioassay-guided fractionation methods.
- The extracts contained various 3-deoxyanthocyanidin compounds, identified through mass spectrometry, with significant antiparasitic activity.
- The findings revealed that these extracts had lower inhibitory concentration (IC50) values against T. gondii than their cytotoxic effects on mammalian cells, suggesting potential for their use as antiparasitic agents.
Plant Biotechnol J
November 2005
Article Synopsis
- Fertile transgenic cotton plants were created using the antimicrobial peptide D4E1, and genetic integration was confirmed through PCR and Southern blotting.
- In vitro tests showed that D4E1 effectively inhibited the growth of certain fungal pathogens, although it didn’t control Aspergillus flavus spores.
- Bioassays demonstrated that the transgenic cotton seeds reduced fungal colonization and showed greater disease resistance, highlighting the potential of synthetic peptides for developing disease-resistant crops.
Transgenic Res
April 2003
Article Synopsis
- Researchers introduced a synthetic ASP1 gene into cassava to enhance its protein content, which is typically low despite high starch levels.
- The method involved Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer and resulted in the generation of transgenic cassava plants, confirmed through various molecular analyses.
- Expression of the ASP1 protein was detected in both leaves and roots of the plants, suggesting potential for improved nutritional quality in cassava storage roots.
Article Synopsis
- Natural peptide antibiotics enhance host immunity against various microbes, and synthetic versions called peptidyl-MIM interfere with microbial membranes.
- In a study, three synthetic peptides (D4E1, DC1, D1D6) demonstrated strong anti-feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) effects in infected cells, particularly D4E1, which significantly reduced virus activity and reversed cell damage at low concentrations.
- D4E1 treatment resulted in noninfectious viruses that could still bind to cells, indicating it likely disrupts viral assembly or release while not affecting earlier viral processes like penetration or RNA synthesis.
