Antibacterial activities of two potential peptides extracted from Polistes wattii Cameron, 1900 (Vespidae: Polistinae) wasp venom collected at Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Alternatives of conventional antibiotics have become an urgent need to control drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, search for new antibacterial agents has become a trend in several microbiological and pharmaceutical scientific works. Insects, one of the most successful and evolved species on earth is known to be an effective natural source of several medically useful chemicals including antibacterial agents. There is considerable evidence of using wasp venom against medical ailments in several parts of the world. In this work venom from Polistes wattii Cameron, 1900 collected from Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia was evaluated for its antibacterial activities. Such activity was tested against four pathogenic bacteria: two-gram positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Streptococcus mutans (RCMB 017(1) ATCC 25175) and two gram-negative (Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 12023 ATCC 14028 and Enterobacter cloacae (RCMB 001(1) ATCC 23355). Also, chemical characterization of wasp venom was done using HPLC and two isolated peptides were sequenced. The result indicates the potent anti-microbial effect of the venom against the four tested bacteria. The most sensitive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Streptococcus mutans (RCMB 017(1) ATCC 25175). The sequence of the two purified peptides indicates that they belong to mastoparan. The study results may pave way to use this wasp venom in future antibiotics especially in controlling skin infection by Staphylococcus aureus.

Mutualistic Relationships between Microorganisms and Eusocial Wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

“…Mastoparans can cause many different effects on biological organisms and possess cytolytic and antimicrobial activity. Various types have been described in the venom of social wasps belonging to several species of Stenogastrinae [ 15 ], Vespinae ( Vespa tropica —[ 21 ]; V. magnifica , V. orientalis , V. nigrithorax —[ 22 ]; Vespula vulgaris —[ 23 ]; Dolichovespula saxonica —[ 24 ]) and Polistinae ( Agelaia pallipes pallipes —[ 25 ]; Polybia paulista —[ 26 ]; Polybia dymorpha —[ 27 ]; Chartergellus communis —[ 28 ]; Sinoeca surinama —[ 29 ]; Polistes dominula [ 30 ]; P. major major and P. dorsalis dorsalis —[ 31 ]; and P. wattii —[ 32 ]). Moreover, targets of the antimicrobial activity span from bacteria to fungi and even viruses.…”

Long-Term Administration of Vespa velutina nigrithorax Venom Ameliorates Alzheimer’s Phenotypes in 5xFAD Transgenic Mice

“…WV is composed of multiple amines (such as histamine, tyramine, and serotonin), small peptides (such as anoplin, decoralin, eumenitin, eumenitin-R, EpVP, mastoparan, and rumenitin-F), and proteins (such as hyaluronidase, α-glucosidase, phosphatase, phospholipase A2, and phospholipase B) [ 9 ]. Certain components found in WV exhibit antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory activities [ 8 , 10 , 11 ]. The mastoparans are a group of small peptides isolated from the venoms of various wasps including Vespula lewisii , Vespula vulgaris , Vespa crabro , and Polistes jadwigae.…”

Glycerol and Antimicrobial Peptide-Modified Natural Latex for Bacteriostasis of Skin Wounds

“…9 In addition, AMPs also have anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and cosmetic functions. 10 Natural wound healing is usually very slow, which will expose serious wounds to air for a long time and increase the chance of pathogenic infections. Therefore, the use of wound dressings to promote wound healing is currently a commonly used method.…”

“…AMPs facilitate pathogenic bacteria develop drug resistance much slower compared to antibiotics, and most AMPs have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, which not only inhibits bacteria but also inhibits fungi and viruses . In addition, AMPs also have anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and cosmetic functions …”