Commensal production of a broad-spectrum and short-lived antimicrobial peptide polyene eliminates nasal Staphylococcus aureus.


Torres Salazar, Benjamin O, Dema, Taulant, Schilling, Nadine A, Janek, Daniela, Bornikoel, Jan, Berscheid, Anne, Elsherbini, Ahmed MA, Krauss, Sophia, Jaag, Simon J, Lämmerhofer, Michael et al (show 9 more authors) (2023) Commensal production of a broad-spectrum and short-lived antimicrobial peptide polyene eliminates nasal Staphylococcus aureus. Nature microbiology, 9 (1). pp. 200-213.

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Abstract

Antagonistic bacterial interactions often rely on antimicrobial bacteriocins, which attack only a narrow range of target bacteria. However, antimicrobials with broader activity may be advantageous. Here we identify an antimicrobial called epifadin, which is produced by nasal Staphylococcus epidermidis IVK83. It has an unprecedented architecture consisting of a non-ribosomally synthesized peptide, a polyketide component and a terminal modified amino acid moiety. Epifadin combines a wide antimicrobial target spectrum with a short life span of only a few hours. It is highly unstable under in vivo-like conditions, potentially as a means to limit collateral damage of bacterial mutualists. However, Staphylococcus aureus is eliminated by epifadin-producing S. epidermidis during co-cultivation in vitro and in vivo, indicating that epifadin-producing commensals could help prevent nasal S. aureus carriage. These insights into a microbiome-derived, previously unknown antimicrobial compound class suggest that limiting the half-life of an antimicrobial may help to balance its beneficial and detrimental activities.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Humans, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcal Infections, Anti-Infective Agents, Antimicrobial Peptides
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 17 Jan 2024 11:10
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2024 15:49
DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01544-2
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3177879
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