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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Production and Visualization of Bacterial Spheroplasts and Protoplasts to Characterize Antimicrobial Peptide Localization
Published on: August 11, 2018
Porphyrin-apidaecin conjugate as a new broad spectrum antibacterial agent
Ryan Dosselli1, Marina Gobbo2, Erika Bolognini2
1Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy.
Abstract:
The conjugation of the cationic antimicrobial peptide, apidaecin Ib, to the anionic photosensitizer, 5(4'-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (cTPP), afforded a new antibacterial agent effective, under light activation, against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. At low concentrations (1.5-15 μM) the conjugate was able to reduce the survival of Escherichia coli cells by 3-4 log10, and most notably, it resulted photoactive also against hard-to-treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa, although at higher concentration (60 μM). Under similar conditions, the photosensitizer alone was only photoactive against Staphylococcus aureus while the unconjugated peptide was inactive against all the bacterial strains tested. This study shows the possibility of obtaining new broad-spectrum apidaecin-photosensitizer conjugates with potent antibacterial activity.
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