Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41108403›Full record

ArticleApplied microbiology and biotechnology2025

Heterologous expression and optimization of the antimicrobial peptide acidocin 4356 in Komagataella phaffii to target Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Ali Akbari, Mahbubeh Talaee, Mohammad Mir-Derikvand, Navid Dad, Sima Modiri, Fatemeh Saadati, Negin Noorbakhsh, Hossein Shahbani Zahiri, Hojatollah Vali, Kambiz Akbari Noghabi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ali Akbari *Department of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Mahbubeh Talaee *Department of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Mir-DerikvandDepartment of Bioengineering, College of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, University of Tehran, P. O. Box 14399-57131, Tehran, Iran.
Navid DadDepartment of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Sima ModiriDepartment of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh SaadatiDepartment of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Negin NoorbakhshDepartment of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Hossein Shahbani ZahiriDepartment of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran.
Hojatollah ValiDepartment of Anatomy & Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada.
Kambiz Akbari NoghabiDepartment of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), P. O. Box 14155-6343, Tehran, Iran. Akbari@nigeb.ac.ir.

Funding

National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB) 729
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pose a serious global health threat due to their increasing prevalence and limited therapeutic options. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer promising alternatives to traditional antibiotics, yet their large-scale application remains constrained by high production costs and technical challenges. This research sought to develop a yeast-based system for the cost-efficient synthesis of acidocin 4356 (ACD), an antimicrobial peptide proven effective against P. aeruginosa. A codon-optimized ACD gene was cloned into the pPICZα-A expression vector and integrated into the Komagataella phaffii (formerly Pichia pastoris) GS115 genome. Colony PCR confirmed successful integration, and specific transformants demonstrated expression of the 6 × His-ECS-rACD fusion protein, as verified by SDS-PAGE and dot blot analysis. After Ni-NTA chromatography and enterokinase digestion, rACD was found at ~ 20 kDa instead of 8.3 kDa, suggesting oligomerization or post-translational modifications. Response surface methodology determined the optimal temperature, pH, and methanol concentration for peptide synthesis. Under optimal circumstances (21 °C, pH 6.24, and 1.089% methanol), rACD synthesis increased by 34.12% over baseline conditions (30 °C, pH 6, 1% methanol). AlphaFold structural modeling identified three α-helices in high-confidence regions, implicated in bacterial membrane disruption. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated potent rACD activity against P. aeruginosa, yielding a 58.29% reduction in growth at 150 µg/mL and MIC50 and MIC90 values of 143.04 and 320.64 µg/mL, respectively. These findings underscore K. phaffii as a robust platform for AMP production and highlight rACD's therapeutic potential as an effective agent against MDR P. aeruginosa, warranting further investigation into its clinical and industrial applications. KEY POINTS: • Developing a novel K. phaffii strain for heterologous expression supports efficient rACD peptide production. • Optimized conditions boosted expression yield by 34.12% above the reference fermentation settings. • Recombinant acidocin suppressed Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth by 58%, indicating anti-MDR activity.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsAntimicrobial PeptidesPseudomonas aeruginosaSaccharomycetalesGene ExpressionHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationMicrobial Sensitivity TestsTemperatureAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntimicrobial PeptidesAcidocin 4356Antimicrobial peptidesHeterologous expressionKomagataella phaffiiMethanol-induced vector

Identifiers

PMID41108403
PMCPMC12535540

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.