Proline Hinged Amphipathic α-Helical Peptide Sensitizes Gram-Negative Bacteria to Various Gram-Positive Antibiotics

Gram-negative bacteria are becoming resistant to almost all currently available antibiotics. Systemically designed antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attractive agents to enhance the activities of antibiotics. We constructed a small Pro-scanning library using amphipathic model peptides. Measurements of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Escherichia coli and hemolytic activities showed that one of the Pro-hinged peptides, KL-L9P, displays the highest specificity toward E. coli. Moreover, KL-L9P sensitizes E. coli to be responsive to most antibiotics that are not active against Gram-negative bacteria. The results of biochemical experiments show that KL-L9P promotes the rearrangement of the bacterial membrane that enables hydrophobic antibiotics to permeate. Finally, the results of animal tests demonstrate that KL-L9P strongly sensitizes Gram-negative bacteria to linezolid (Lzd), rifampicin (Rif), or clarithromycin (Clr). Thus, KL-L9P operates as a sensitizer to extend the antibacterial activity of most antibiotics to Gram-negative bacteria.