At the international symposium on spectroscopy we gave an oral presentation about results of our research on structural characteristics of peptides that act on bacterial membranes and have antimicrobial activity.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 3688218One of the collaborators in the project, Prof. Roman Jerala, was a supervisor of the doctoral thesis made by the young researcher, Boštjan Japelj, in which structural and physical characteristics of peptides with antimicrobial activity were determined.
D.09 Tutoring for postgraduate students
COBISS.SI-ID: 2112881We designed a material with a surface-bound antimicrobial peptide for potential use in medical devices such as implants or catheters to prevent bacterial biofilm formation. A model substrate was coated by a layer of alkoxysilane GPTMS as a linker for coupling the peptide PMB with antibiotic activity against Gram-negative bacteria. After incubation of the coated glass in the solution with PMB two additional peaks, characteristic for the peptide, were observed in the IR spectra. By the biomaterial concentration of E. coli was reduced for up to 100.000 CFU/ml per cm2 of the material’s surface.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 3951386We designed and analyzed effective antimicrobial peptides and peptidomimetics with a broad spectrum of activity on bacteria, ability of neutralization of endotoxin and low toxicity for humans. The lead compound was LF11, a short peptide fragment from the N-terminus of human lactoferrin. Peptide ability to bind polysaccharide was confirmed in vitro and in cells. Using antimicrobial peptides the level of inflammatory cytokines was successfully decreased. We prepared a system for production of biologically active recombinant peptide via the formation of an insoluble fusion protein.
D.09 Tutoring for postgraduate students
COBISS.SI-ID: 2407281In order to design materials that would prevent bacterial adhesion to the surface of medicinal devices we prepared silane coating onto which we covalently bound an antimicrobial peptide. Binding of the peptide was confirmed by spectroscopic and microscopic methods: FTIR, XPS and AFM. Microbiological tests showed that the peptide retained its biocidal activity also after immobilization and that it was not released into the liquid. Surface coatings with covalently bound antimicrobial peptides could represent a promissing way for prevention of microbial biofilm growth on medicinal implants.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 4266522