Purification and characterization of antimicrobial peptide fractions of Junipers seravschanica

The emergence of antibiotic resistance among bacteria leads to the urge of finding an alternative solution. Therefore, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a promisingly new group of therapeutic agents for managing infectious diseases. This research was designed to explore the potency of antimicrobial peptides from Omani Juniperus seravschanica plant and their mode of action. The isolated AMPs showed to have inhibitory activity towards pathogenic bacteria namely Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and fungi such as Aspergillus flavus, and Cladosporium herbarum. The isolated AMPs showed noticeable changes in OD, illustrating clearly the pore formation. Scanning electron microscope showed significant membrane disruption of the bacteria. The three AMP fractions displayed to be heat stable and functioned well at low pH (2-6). Therefore, further studies are recommended to explore the real potential of immobilized AMPs in health applications as antimicrobial coatings of medical devices.