Novel Compounds from Shark and Stingray Epidermal Mucus With Antimicrobial Activity Against Wound Infection Pathogens
Abstract
A protective secretion produced by epidermal mucus cells in stingrays is being investigated to understand its role in wound healing and to identify mucus-associated antimicrobial compounds with the potential for development into novel therapeutics to treat wound infection pathogens. Fresh mucus from two species of ray (cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, and Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina) contains proteins in an aqueous supernatant and a viscous pellet. The magnesium salt of trifluoroacetic acid was successful in obtaining mucus pellet extracts enriched in low MW compounds demonstrating low but measurable antibiotic activity. Mucus pellets also contain symbiotic bacteria, many of which demonstrate antibiotic activity. 135 bacterial isolates cultured from cownose ray and 11 from Atlantic stingray epidermal mucus demonstrated antibiotic activity against at least one human pathogenic tester strain in primary screens performed at Mote Marine Laboratory. Of the 11 Atlantic stingray isolates, 6 demonstrated antibiotic activity against pathogenic bacterial tester strains screened at University of South Florida Center for Biological Defense. Culturable libraries of all isolates have been cryopreserved. Experimental wounding studies resulted in wounds that healed without infection or inflammation. A consistent observation is the formation of raised fibrous tissue in the center of the wounds within three weeks, which gradually dissipates to uniform scar tissue across the wound. Preliminary histology on healed wounds provided valuable baseline data on restructuring of e. pidermal and dermal tissue during the healing process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA575867
Entities
People
- Ashby Bodine
- Carl A. Luer
- Catherine Walsh
- Jennifer Wyffels
- Kimberly Ritchie
- Laura Edsberg
- Vicki Luna
Organizations
- Mote Marine Laboratory