A novel peptide QUB-2562, discovered from the skin secretion of the frog, Agalychnis annae

With the increasing problem of resistance to older antimicrobials, and the delay in the development of new antibiotics, there is an urgency to discover some new drugs. During the last few decades, skin secretions of amphibians, especially frogs, were found to be a vast resource of antibiotic agents.<br/><br/>In this project, a novel peptide QUB-2562 derived from the skin secretion of Agalychnis annae was identified by molecular cloning. Solid-phase synthesis was applied to synthesise the novel peptide. After the synthesis, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation, time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was used to identify and purify peptide QUB-2562. Then QUB-2562 was tested in several biological experiments and found to inhibit the growth of S. aureus (MIC = 2 µM; MBC = 2 µM), E. coli (MIC = 4 µM; MBC = 4 µM), and C. albicans (MIC = 8 µM; MBC = 16 µM). Meanwhile, its degrees of haemolysis at 2 and 16 µM were only 1% and 10%, respectively, which might be worthy of further exploration.<br/><br/><i>Thesis embargoed until 31st October 2024 </i>

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Master of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Masters Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Queen's University Belfast

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Gong, Roujia

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Chen, Tianbao
• Zhou, Mei
• Wang, Lei

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/13a2e866-cd9d-4b96-aeba-f4b6c27cebaf

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/13a2e866-cd9d-4b96-aeba-f4b6c27cebaf