Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Expression, Purification, and Antimicrobial Activity of S100A12
11:10

Expression, Purification, and Antimicrobial Activity of S100A12

Published on: May 13, 2017

8.8K

HJH-1, a Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity and Low Cytotoxicity Antimicrobial Peptide

Qing Wang1,2, Yanzhao Xu3, Mengmeng Dong4

  • 1College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China. wangqing@hist.edu.cn.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 17, 2018
PubMed

Insights

This study shows that HJH-1, an antimicrobial peptide, effectively damages bacterial membranes, offering a potential alternative to antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Overuse of antibiotics has led to multidrug-resistant bacteria, a major global health threat.
  • Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics due to their novel mechanisms of action.
  • Bovine hemoglobin-derived peptides represent a potential source of new AMPs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the antimicrobial activity and membrane-disrupting effects of HJH-1, a cationic peptide derived from bovine hemoglobin.
  • To assess the safety profile of HJH-1 concerning erythrocyte hemolysis.
  • To evaluate the stability of HJH-1 under various environmental conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) assays against various bacterial and fungal species.
  • Hemolysis assays using erythrocytes.
  • Membrane potential assays using DiBAC₄(3) and propidium iodide.
  • Microscopy techniques (SEM, TEM) to visualize membrane damage.

Main Results:

  • HJH-1 demonstrated potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against tested bacteria and Candida albicans.
  • HJH-1 exhibited significantly lower hemolytic activity compared to its antimicrobial concentrations.
  • HJH-1 induced rapid depolarization of bacterial membranes (E. coli) and hyperpolarization of red blood cells.
  • Microscopy confirmed membrane damage in E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans upon HJH-1 treatment.
  • HJH-1 showed good stability across a range of temperatures, pH values, and ionic strengths.

Conclusions:

  • HJH-1 effectively disrupts bacterial membrane integrity, leading to cell death and inhibiting microbial growth.
  • HJH-1 possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties with a favorable safety profile regarding erythrocyte lysis.
  • The mechanism of action involves altering transmembrane potential and damaging the bacterial membrane, making HJH-1 a promising candidate for combating multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Keywords:
antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)bioactivitybovine hemoglobinmembrane activitypore formation

More Related Videos

High Throughput, Real-time, Dual-readout Testing of Intracellular Antimicrobial Activity and Eukaryotic Cell Cytotoxicity09:09

High Throughput, Real-time, Dual-readout Testing of Intracellular Antimicrobial Activity and Eukaryotic Cell Cytotoxicity

Published on: November 16, 2016

8.4K
Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids11:56

Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids

Published on: May 4, 2018

13.0K

Related Concept Videos

Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
1.0K
Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
14.5K
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents01:18

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents

Acute diarrhea, a common gastrointestinal disturbance, is characterized by the rapid evacuation of fluid stools, leading to an excessive weight in fluid. This condition typically arises from disorders affecting intestinal water and electrolyte transport. It can be triggered by an increased osmotic load within the intestine, excessive secretion of electrolytes and water, mucosal exudation of protein and fluid, or altered intestinal motility. The primary risks of acute diarrhea are dehydration...
471
Treating Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcers: Antimicrobial Therapy01:16

Treating Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcers: Antimicrobial Therapy

Helicobacter pylori, a resilient gram-negative bacterium, can thrive in the stomach's harsh, acidic environment. Infection with H. pylori leads to a cascade of events within the stomach lining. One of the critical disruptions caused by this bacterium is the interference with somatostatin production, a hormone responsible for regulating acid secretion. This interference tips the balance, escalating acid secretion and diminishing bicarbonate levels. This imbalance compromises the defensive...
1.3K
IR Spectrum Peak Intensity: Amount of IR-Active Bonds00:55

IR Spectrum Peak Intensity: Amount of IR-Active Bonds

When infrared radiation is passed through a molecule, absorption occurs if the molecule's vibration leads to a substantial change in its bond dipole moment. Transitions between vibrational energy levels, typically corresponding to infrared frequencies (4000–400 cm−1), allow absorption if the vibration significantly alters the dipole moment, making the molecule infrared active. The molecular bonds have different stretching and bending vibrations, resulting in various peaks with...
1.1K
The Electromagnetic Spectrum02:37

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum consists of all the types of electromagnetic radiation arranged according to their frequency and wavelength. Each of the various colors of visible light has specific frequencies and wavelengths associated with them, and you can see that visible light makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because the technologies developed to work in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are different, for reasons of convenience and historical...
65.4K