Abstract Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short, positively charged host defense peptides, found in various life forms from microorganisms to humans. AMPs are gaining more attention as substitutes for antibiotics in order to combat the risk posed by multi-drug- resistant pathogens. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans relies solely on its innate immune defense to cope with its challenging life-style. Bacterial infection in C. elegans leads to induction of antimicrobial proteins, defensins, nemapores, cecropins, and neuropeptide-like proteins, which act to limit bacterial proliferation. This study reports how the C. elegans recombinant antibacterial factor (ABF-1) rapidly inhibited bacterial growth (Salmonella Typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia, Shigella sonnei and Vibrio alginolyticus). The ABF-1 exposure on S. Typhi, showed differential regulation in cell-cycle, DNA repair mechanism, membrane stability, and stress related proteins. The exogenous supply of ABF-1 protein has extended C. elegans survival by reducing the bacterial colony forming units on the nematode intestine. Together, these findings indicate the valuable and potential therapeutic applications of ABF-1 protein as antimicrobial agents against intracellular pathogens.

中文翻译：

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秀丽隐杆线虫重组抗菌蛋白对革兰氏阴性菌的体内外功效

摘要 抗菌肽 (AMP) 是短的、带正电荷的宿主防御肽，存在于从微生物到人类的各种生命形式中。为了对抗多重耐药病原体带来的风险，AMP 作为抗生素的替代品越来越受到关注。线虫秀丽隐杆线虫仅依靠其先天免疫防御来应对其具有挑战性的生活方式。秀丽隐杆线虫中的细菌感染导致抗菌蛋白、防御素、nemapores、天蚕素和神经肽样蛋白的诱导，这些蛋白起到限制细菌增殖的作用。本研究报告了秀丽隐杆线虫重组抗菌因子 (ABF-1) 如何快速抑制细菌生长（伤寒沙门氏菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、松内志贺氏菌和溶藻弧菌）。伤寒沙门氏菌的 ABF-1 暴露，显示细胞周期、DNA 修复机制、膜稳定性和应激相关蛋白的差异调节。ABF-1 蛋白的外源供应通过减少线虫肠道上的细菌菌落形成单位延长了秀丽隐杆线虫的存活。总之，这些发现表明 ABF-1 蛋白作为抗细胞内病原体的抗菌剂的有价值和潜在的治疗应用。