Phage Display Selection and In Silico Characterization of Peptides as Potential GroEL Modulators

Background/Objectives. Antibiotic resistance is an escalating global health concern, highlighting the need for innovative antibacterial strategies beyond traditional drugs. GroEL, a highly conserved bacterial chaperonin essential for protein folding and stress tolerance, represents a promising but underexplored therapeutic target. This study aimed to identify short peptides capable of binding GroEL monomers and potentially altering their function, with the long-term goal of disrupting bacterial survival mechanisms. Methods. A phage display screening of a 12-mer peptide library was performed against purified GroEL monomers, yielding five candidate peptides (G1-G5). Their interactions with GroEL were analyzed through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations using three-dimensional GroEL structures (1MNF, 1XCK, 8S32). Stability of binding and interaction profiles were assessed through molecular dynamics-based analyses and MM/GBSA free energy calculations. Results. Peptides G4 and G5 displayed the most stable and energetically favorable interactions, with G4-8S32 showing the strongest binding (-116.68 kcal/mol). These peptides localized near inter-subunit interfaces, suggesting potential interference with GroEL oligomerization or allosteric transitions, which are critical for its biological function. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that short peptides can stably bind GroEL and potentially modulate its activity. Peptides G4 and G5 represent at our knowledge the first promising scaffolds for developing a novel class of peptide-based antibacterial agents targeting conserved chaperonin systems. This work introduces a new avenue that warrants further experimental validation.