Hilda Lima

Dr. Hilda Lima


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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BSBettina Szerencsés
Bettina Szerencsés
AGAttila Gacser
Attila Gacser
GEGabriella Endre
Gabriella Endre
IDIldikó Domonkos
Ildikó Domonkos
HLHilda Lima
Hilda Lima
EKEva Kondorosi
Eva Kondorosi
The increasing rate of fungal infections causes global problems not only in human healthcare but agriculture as well. To combat fungal pathogens limited numbers of antifungal agents are available therefore alternative drugs are needed. Antimicrobial peptides are potent candidates because of their broad activity spectrum and their diverse mode of actions. The model legume Medicago truncatula produces >700 nodule specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides in symbiosis and many of them have in vitro antimicrobial activities without considerable toxicity on human cells. In this work we demonstrate the anticandidal activity of the NCR335 and NCR169 peptide derivatives against five Candida species by using the micro-dilution method, measuring inhibition of biofilm formation with the XTT (2,3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide) assay, and assessing the morphological change of dimorphic Candida species by microscopy. We show that both the N- and C-terminal regions of NCR335 possess anticandidal activity as well as the C-terminal sequence of NCR169. The active peptides inhibit biofilm formation and the yeast-hypha transformation. Combined treatment of C. auris with peptides and fluconazole revealed synergistic interactions and reduced 2-8-fold the minimal inhibitory concentrations. Our results demonstrate that shortening NCR peptides can even enhance and broaden their anticandidal activity and therapeutic potential.