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Poly(2‐Oxazoline)‐Based Functional Peptide Mimics: Eradicating MRSA Infections and Persisters while Alleviating Antimicrobial Resistance
Author(s) -
Zhou Min,
Qian Yuxin,
Xie Jiayang,
Zhang Wenjing,
Jiang Weinan,
Xiao Ximian,
Chen Sheng,
Dai Chengzhi,
Cong Zihao,
Ji Zhemin,
Shao Ning,
Liu Longqiang,
Wu Yuequn,
Liu Runhui
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202000505
Subject(s) - antimicrobial , microbiology and biotechnology , oxazoline , staphylococcus aureus , peptide , antibiotic resistance , antibiotics , biology , chemistry , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics , catalysis
Peptides have important biological functions. However, their susceptibility to proteolysis limits their applications. We demonstrated here for the first time, that poly(2‐oxazoline) (POX) can work as a functional mimic of peptides. POX‐based glycine pseudopeptides, a host defense peptide mimic, had potent activities against methicillin‐resistant S. aureus , which causes formidable infections. The POX mimic showed potent activity against persisters that are highly resistant to antibiotics. S. aureus did not develop resistance to POX owning to the reactive oxygen species related antimicrobial mechanism. POX‐treated S. aureus is sensitive to common antibiotics, demonstrating no observable antimicrobial pressure or cross‐resistance in using antimicrobial POX. This study highlights POX as a new type of functional mimic of peptides and opens new avenues in designing and exploring peptide mimetics for biological functions and applications.