Helen Astrid Agudelo-Góngora

Helen Astrid Agudelo-Góngora


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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30 October 2020 in Molecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SRSandra Patricia Rivera-Sánchez
Sandra Patricia Rivera-Sánchez
HAHelen Astrid Agudelo-Góngora
Helen Astrid Agudelo-Góngora
Jose OñateJose Oñate
Jose Oñate
LFLiliana Janeth Flórez-Elvira
Liliana Janeth Flórez-Elvira
ACAdriana Maria del Socorro Correa
Adriana Maria del Socorro Correa
IOIván Darío Ocampo-Ibáñez
Iván Darío Ocampo-Ibáñez
Antimicrobial resistance reduces the efficacy of antibiotics. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR), Gram-negative bacterial strains, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDRKp) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPa), are a serious threat to global health. However, cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) are promising as an alternative therapeutic strategy against MDR strains. In this study, the inhibitory activity of a cationic peptide, derived from cecropin D-like (ΔM2), against MDRKp and MDRPa clinical isolates, and its interaction with membrane models and bacterial genomic DNA were evaluated. In vitro antibacterial activity was determined using the broth microdilution test, whereas interactions with lipids and DNA were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and electronic absorption, respectively. A strong bactericidal effect of ΔM2 against MDR strains, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) between 4 and 16 μg/mL, was observed. The peptide had a pronounced effect on the thermotropic behavior of the 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC)/1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylglycerol (DMPG) membrane models that mimic bacterial membranes. Finally, the interaction between the peptide and genomic DNA (gDNA) showed a hyperchromic effect, which indicates that ΔM2 can denature bacterial DNA strands via the grooves.