Comparison of synthesis and antibacterial activity of temporin A

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 449; no. 2; pp. 187 - 190
• Main Authors: Harjunpää, Irene, Kuusela, Pentti, Smoluch, Marek T., Silberring, Jerzy, Lankinen, Hilkka, Wade, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 23.04.1999
• Subjects: 2-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl/9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl amino acids; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemical synthesis; Anti-Bacterial Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial activity; Enterococcus faecium; Enterococcus faecium - drug effects; Peptides - chemical synthesis; Peptides - isolation & purification; Peptides - pharmacology; Rana temporaria; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Synthetic peptide; Temporin A; Enterococcus faecium; Temporin A; Antibacterial activity; Synthetic peptide; 2-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl/9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl amino acids; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(99)00406-8

Temporin A is a small, basic, highly hydrophobic, antibacterial peptide found in the skin of the European red frog, Rana temporaria. It was synthesized twice by the FastMoc solid phase method using amino acids protected at the N α-position with either 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl or 2-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl. The syntheses of temporin A demonstrates the difference between 2-(4-nitrophenylsulfonyl)ethoxycarbonyl and 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl amino acids. The purified peptide showed also antibacterial activity against clinically important Gram-positive bacteria. It was found to have a moderately good activity against both methicillin resistant and sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus, but a weaker activity against vancomycin resistant strains of Enterococcus faecium.