Affiliation:
1. Biomedical Sciences, Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, United Kingdom
Abstract
ABSTRACT
In this paper we report on the susceptibilities of a range of
Bacillus
species to the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37.
B. subtilis
showed a low level of resistance to killing by LL-37 (50% growth-inhibitory concentration [GI
50
], 1 μg/ml).
B. cereus
and
B. thuringiensis
showed intermediate levels of resistance to killing (GI
50
s, 33 μg/ml and 37 μg/ml, respectively).
B. anthracis
showed the highest level of resistance (GI
50
s, 40 to 66 μg/ml). The degradation of LL-37 by
B. anthracis
culture supernatant was blocked by the metalloprotease inhibitors EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, and the gene encoding the protease responsible for LL-37 degradation was not plasmid borne. Our findings suggest that alongside the classical plasmid-based virulence determinants, extracellular metalloproteases of
B. anthracis
may play a role in survival in the host.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Pharmacology (medical),Pharmacology
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