Engineered antibiotics to help fight against superbugs developed in recent study

RMIT scientists have created a new type of antibiotic that can be rapidly re-engineered to avoid resistance by dangerous superbugs. The antibiotic has a simple design that allows it to be produced quickly and cost-effectively in a lab. Named Priscilicidin, the antibiotic’s amino acid building blocks are small, so it can be tailored to tackle different types of antimicrobial resistance.

Priscilicidin is a type of antimicrobial peptide. These peptides are produced by all living organisms as the first defense against bacteria and viruses. After reviewing the literature on antimicrobial peptide molecular engineering, the team designed and tested 20 short peptides before settling on Priscilicidin as the best candidate.

Priscilicidin was derived from Indolicidin, a natural antibiotic found in cows’ immune systems. Priscilicidin works by disturbing the membrane of the microbes, eventually killing the cell. Lab tests showed Priscilicidin had a similar antimicrobial activity as Indolicidin on common bacterial and fungal infections.

The team’s research shows Priscilicidin’s molecules naturally self-assemble into hydrogel form, making it ideal for creating antibiotic gels and creams. While the team are predominantly investigating Priscilicidin for topical applications, they are not ruling out oral applications.

Reference:

“Rational design of potent ultrashort antimicrobial peptides with programmable assembly into nanostructured hydrogels" is published in Frontiers in Chemistry (DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1009468).