Tribolium castaneum defensin 1 kills Moraxella catarrhalis in an in vitro infection model but does not harm commensal bacteria

• Published in: Virulence Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1003 - 1010
• Main Authors: Bertrams, Wilhelm, Lindhauer, Nora S., Rieke, Marie Christin, Paas, Anne, Hoffmann, Kerstin, Greene, Brandon, Visekruna, Alexander, Vilcinskas, Andreas, Seidel, Kerstin, Schmeck, Bernd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 31.12.2021; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: antibiotic resistance; Antimicrobial peptides; commensals; defensin; inflammation; insect; macrophages; Moraxella catarrhalis

Moraxella catarrhalis is a bacterial pathogen that causes respiratory tract infections in humans. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant M. catarrhalis strains has created a demand for alternative treatment options. We therefore tested 23 insect antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) for their act...