Characterization of Novel Plantaricin-Derived Antiviral Peptides Against Flaviviruses

Flaviviruses, including West Nile virus, Zika virus, and Dengue virus, pose global health challenges due to their distribution, pathogenicity, and lack of effective treatments or vaccines. This study investigated the antiviral activity of novel truncated peptides derived from the two-peptide plantaricins PLNC8 αβ, PlnEF, PlnJK, and PlnA. The antiviral potential was predicted using machine learning tools, followed by in vitro evaluation against the Kunjin virus using plaque reduction assays in Vero cells. Molecular docking assessed peptide interactions with KUNV and ZIKV. Full-length and truncated peptides from PlnA, PlnE, PlnF, PlnJ, and PlnK demonstrated limited antiviral efficacy against KUNV in vitro, despite in silico predictions suggesting antiviral potential for PlnA, PlnE, and PlnJ. Large discrepancies were observed between the predicted and experimentally determined activities. However, complementary two-peptide plantaricins PlnEF and PlnJK exhibited significant synergistic effects. Furthermore, the truncated peptides PLNC8 α1-15 and PLNC8 β1-20 reduced KUNV viral load by over 90%, outperforming their full-length counterparts. Molecular docking revealed interactions of PLNC8 α and PLNC8 β, and their truncated variants, with KUNV and ZIKV, suggesting a mechanism involving viral envelope disruption. These findings highlight the potential of plantaricin-derived peptides as promising antiviral candidates against flaviviruses, warranting further investigation into their mechanisms and applications.