Identification of an Ultra-Short Peptide with Potent Pseudomonas aeruginosa Activity for Development as a Topical Antibacterial Agent

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for a wide spectrum of infections including skin-related infections such as ecthyma gangrenosum, folliculitis, surgical site and burn wound infections. The global emergence of drug-resistant strains has become a clinical concern and new antibacterial agents are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides, with their membrane-disrupting mode of action, are deemed potential candidates. Herein, we screened 62 published short peptides, up to 11 residues in length, with reported antibacterial properties, against a multidrug-resistant strain of P. aeruginosa . Of the 3 most potent peptides, the shortest one was selected for further studies involving a panel of clinical P. aeruginosa strains, a bactericidal/static determination assay and a time-kill assay to gauge its potential for further development as a topical antibacterial drug candidate.