Insights into the anticancer properties of the first antimicrobial peptide from Archaea
Journal article, 2017

Background: The peptide VLL-28, identified in the sequence of an archaeal protein, the transcription factor Stf76 from Sulfolobus islandicus, was previously identified and characterized as an antimicrobial peptide, possessing a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Methods: Through a combined approach of NMR and Circular Dichroism spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, confocal microscopy and cell viability assays, the interaction of VLL-28 with the membranes of both parental and malignant cell lines has been characterized and peptide mechanism of action has been studied. Results: It is here demonstrated that VLL-28 selectively exerts cytotoxic activity against murine and human tumor cells. By means of structural methodologies, VLL-28 interaction with the membranes has been proven and the binding residues have been identified. Confocal microscopy data show that VLL-28 is internalized only into tumor cells. Finally, it is shown that cell death is mainly caused by a time-dependent activation of apoptotic pathways. Conclusions: VLL-28, deriving from the archaeal kingdom, is here found to be endowed with selective cytotoxic activity towards both murine and human cancer cells and consequently can be classified as an ACP.

Peptide-membrane interactions

Sulfolobus

Anticancer peptide

Antimicrobial peptide

Archaea

Author

R. Gaglione

University of Naples Federico II

L. Pirone

Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche

B. Farina

Advanced Accelerator Applications

Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche

Salvatore Fusco

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology

G. Smaldone

Neurological Institute Foundation Casimiro Mondino

Martina Aulitto

University of Naples Federico II

E. Dell'Olmo

University of Naples Federico II

E. Roscetto

University of Naples Federico II

A. Del Gatto

University of Naples Federico II

Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche

R. Fattorusso

University of Naples Federico II

University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

E. Notomista

University of Naples Federico II

L. Zaccaro

University of Naples Federico II

Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche

A. Arciello

University of Naples Federico II

Istituto Nazionale di Biostrutture e Biosistemi

Emilia Pedone

Consiglo Nazionale Delle Richerche

University of Naples Federico II

Patrizia Contursi

University of Naples Federico II

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects

0304-4165 (ISSN) 18728006 (eISSN)

Vol. 1861 9 2155-2164

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

DOI

10.1016/j.bbagen.2017.06.009

More information

Latest update

3/28/2025