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Babuççu, Gizem ; Vavilthota, Nikitha ; Bournez, Colin ; de Boer, Leonie ; Cordfunke, Robert A. ; Nibbering, Peter H. ; van Westen, Gerard J. P. ; Drijfhout, Jan W. ; Zaat, Sebastian A. J. ; Riool, Martijn

Machine Learning-Identified Potent Antimicrobial Peptides Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Skin Infections

Article

Babuççu, Gizem, Vavilthota, Nikitha, Bournez, Colin, de Boer, Leonie, Cordfunke, Robert A., Nibbering, Peter H., van Westen, Gerard J. P., Drijfhout, Jan W., Zaat, Sebastian A. J. and Riool, Martijn (2025) Machine Learning-Identified Potent Antimicrobial Peptides Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Skin Infections. Antibiotics 14 (11), p. 1172.

DOI to cite this document: 10.5283/epub.78215


Abstract

Background: The escalating global crisis of antibiotic resistance necessitates the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising alternative to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Because traditional AMP discovery is labour-intensive and costly, machine learning (ML) is applied to identify AMPs effective against MDR bacteria and skin ...

Background: The escalating global crisis of antibiotic resistance necessitates the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising alternative to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Because traditional AMP discovery is labour-intensive and costly, machine learning (ML) is applied to identify AMPs effective against MDR bacteria and skin infections. Methods: The ML-based CalcAMP model predicts the antimicrobial activity of 16,384 unique 14-amino-acid peptide sequences, resulting in a novel Guided Designed Smart antimicrobial Therapeutic (GDST) peptide catalogue. Parent sequences and retro-inverso (RI) variants of two prime GDST peptides undergo extensive testing against MDR bacteria and in skin infection models. Results: GDST-038 and GDST-045, along with their RI variants, show potent antimicrobial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus, rapidly depolarizing the cytoplasmic membrane, exhibiting broad-spectrum bactericidal effects against ESKAPE pathogens, and causing minimal haemolysis. RI variants display superior A. baumannii biofilm killing compared to parent sequences, while all GDST peptides achieve >3-log reductions in S. aureus biofilm CFU within 24 h. Potent efficacy is observed in a 3D human skin epidermal infection model, with elimination of S. aureus at ≥15 μM. No resistance develops after 22 passages. Conclusions: ML-driven screening enables rapid identification of two novel candidate AMPs, highlighting the therapeutic potential of GDST peptides for MDR bacterial infections.



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Details

Item typeArticle
Journal or Publication TitleAntibiotics
PublisherMDPI
Open Access TypeCC-License
Volume14
Number of Issue or Book Chapter11
Page Rangep. 1172
Date20 November 2025
Date of publication26 Nov 2025 06:29
InstitutionsMedicine > Lehrstuhl für Unfallchirurgie
Identification Number
ValueType
10.3390/antibiotics14111172DOI
Keywordsantimicrobial peptides (AMPs); machine learning (ML); antimicrobial resistance; biofilm eradication; wound infection; 3D human epidermal model
Dewey Decimal Classification500 Science > 570 Life sciences
StatusPublished
RefereedYes, this version has been refereed
Created at the University of RegensburgPartially
URN of the UB Regensburgurn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-782156
Item ID78215

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