Identification of an antimicrobial peptide from large freshwater snail (Lymnaea stagnalis): activity against antibiotics resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis

Nowadays, antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a great public health problem of increasing magnitude due to quick evolution through mutation that has generated the urgency to find the effective solutions to address this problem. Aside the conventional antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides are a new class of antimicrobials is known to have the activity against a wide range of bacteria. An antimicrobial peptide was isolated and purified from the Lymnaea stagnalis, a fresh water large snail, using ultrafiltration and reversed phase liquid chromatography. The molecular mass of the peptide 2345 Da was determined using MALDI TOF mass spectrometry. This peptide is efficiently prevented the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis that resistant to ampicillin and chloramphenicol antibiotics. The MIC value was 16 μg/mL and specifically damage to bacterial membranes. Hence, this reported peptide revealed an alternative candidate to controlling the Staphylococcal infections.