Mutagenesis by host antimicrobial peptides: insights into microbial evolution during chronic infections

Dominique H Limoli; Daniel J Wozniak

doi:10.15698/mic2014.07.157

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Mutagenesis by host antimicrobial peptides: insights into microbial evolution during chronic infections

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Mutagenesis by host antimicrobial peptides: insights into microbial evolution during chronic infections

Dominique H Limoli and Daniel J Wozniak

Microbial cell, Vol.1(7), pp.247-249

06/29/2014

DOI: 10.15698/mic2014.07.157

PMCID: PMC5349157

PMID: 28357249

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Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced by the mammalian immune system to fight invading pathogens. The best understood function of AMPs is to integrate into the membranes of microbes, thereby disrupting and killing cells. However, a recent study [ PLoS Pathogens (2014) 10, e1004083] provides evidence that at subinhibitory levels, AMPs promote mutations in bacterial DNA, which enhance bacterial survival. In particular, in the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one AMP called LL-37 can promote mutations, which enable the bacteria to overproduce a protective sugar coating, a process called mucoid conversion. P. aeruginosa mucoid conversion is a major risk factor for those suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF), one of the most common lethal, heritable diseases in the US. LL-37 was found to produce mutations by penetrating the bacterial cell and binding to bacterial DNA. It was proposed that LL-37 binding DNA disrupts normal DNA replication and potentiates mutations. Importantly, LL-37 induced mutagenesis was also found to promote resistance to rifampicin in both P. aeruginosa and E. coli. This suggests that AMP-induced mutagenesis may be important for a broad range of chronic diseases and pathogens.

Microbiology

Molecular Biology

cystic fibrosis

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

mutagenesis

DNA repair

antimicrobial peptides

Details

Title: Subtitle: Mutagenesis by host antimicrobial peptides: insights into microbial evolution during chronic infections
Creators: Dominique H Limoli - Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Daniel J Wozniak - Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Microbial cell, Vol.1(7), pp.247-249
DOI: 10.15698/mic2014.07.157
PMID: 28357249
PMCID: PMC5349157
NLM abbreviation: Microb Cell
ISSN: 2311-2638
eISSN: 2311-2638
Publisher: Shared Science Publishers OG
Alternative title: Antimicrobial peptides promote microbial mutagenesis
Language: English
Date published: 06/29/2014
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology
Record Identifier: 9984083874702771

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