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academies
August 17-18, 2017 | Toronto, Canada
ANNUAL BIOTECHNOLOGY CONGRESS
Ann Biol Sci, 2017
ISSN: 2348-1927
C
linically-relevant pathogens are rapidly developing
resistance to conventional antibiotics making infection
control difficult. Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is a gram-positive bacterium commonly found to
be multidrug-resistant. As infections incited by MRSA are
associated with increased rates of mortality compared to
drug-sensitive strains, their presence in healthcare settings
and emergence in the community is of growing concern.
Protegrin-1 (PG-1) is a broad spectrum antimicrobial peptide
effective against bacteria and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
PG-1maybeapotential alternative toconventional antibiotics
and its promising therapeutic abilities have been previously
demonstrated in infection models and in the reduction of
inflammation in chemically-induced murine colitis. In the
current study, proform PG-1 (ProPG) was designed to include
a novel cleavage site and recombinantly generated for more
efficient activation at sites of tissue inflammation. A widely
selective matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) cleavage site was
inserted into ProPG 5’ to the native neutrophil elastase site
to allow for the more efficient release of mature PG-1 at skin
inflammation sites where MMPs are abundantly expressed.
Pichia pastoris
served as the expression host for the
constructed expression vector and fermentation parameters
were adjusted for optimal ProPG expression and secretion.
Cleavage studies of the introduced MMP site performed with
recombinant mouse MMP-3, demonstrated the functionality
of the inserted MMP-3 site. Future studies will verify the
selectivity of the MMP site and the therapeutic potential of
ProPG against MRSA infected skin wounds.
Speaker Biography
Emily K Hill is in the process of completing her MSc (Animal Biosciences) from the
University of Guelph in Dr. Julang Li’s laboratory. She is scheduled to defend in August
2017 and has one publication so far. An aspiring veterinarian, she will begin her DVM
degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in the Fall Semester.
e:
hille@uoguelph.caProduction of protegrin-1 with a matrix metalloproteinase/elastase cleavage site and its therapeutic
potential for skin wound infections
Emily K Hill
and
Julang Li
University of Guelph, Canada
Emily K Hill et al., Ann Biol Sci, 2017, 5:3
DOI: 10.21767/2348-1927-C1-002