Novel antibacterial and fungicidal peptide in which lysine and tryptophan residues are repeated, and use thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an antibacterial and fungicidal peptide in which a lysine and tryptophan dipeptide is repeated. More specifically, the antibacterial and fungicidal peptide of the present invention, in which lysine and tryptophan dipeptide is repeated four times, shows excellent antibacterial activities with respect to gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and antibiotic-resistant strains by affecting the inner membrane of harmful microorganisms, has remarkable fungicidal activities with respect to pathogenic fungi and antibiotic-resistant fungi, and shows little cytotoxicity, and thus can be useful for a pharmaceutical composition, a cosmetic composition, agricultural chemicals, a food preservative, a cosmetic preservative, and a pharmaceutical preservative.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An antibacterial or fungicidal peptide in which a lysine and tryptophan dipeptide (KW) is repeated. 
     
     
         2 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the lysine and tryptophan dipeptide is repeated 1-10 times. 
     
     
         3 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the lysine and tryptophan dipeptide is repeated 4 times. 
     
     
         4 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is composed of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ. ID. NO: 3. 
     
     
         5 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the peptide shows antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. 
     
     
         6 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 5 , wherein the Gram-positive bacteria are selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus  and  Listeria monocytogenes.    
     
     
         7 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the peptide shows antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. 
     
     
         8 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 7 , wherein the Gram-negative bacteria are selected from the group consisting of  Escherichia coli, Psedomonas aeruginosa  and  Salmonella typhimurium.    
     
     
         9 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the peptide has antibacterial activity against antibiotic-tolerant strains. 
     
     
         10 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 9 , wherein the antibiotic-tolerant strains are selected from the group consisting of  E. coli  ( E. coli  CCARM 1229, 1238),  Salmonella  ( S. typhimurium  CCARM 8007, 8009, 8013) and  Staphylococcus  ( S. aureus  CCARM 3089, 3090, 3108, 3114, 3126). 
     
     
         11 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the peptide has fungicidal activity against pathogenic fungi. 
     
     
         12 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 11 , wherein the pathogenic fungi are selected from the group consisting of  Candida albicans, Candida catenulate, Candida intermedia, Candida rugosa, Candida glabrata  and  Candida melibiosica.    
     
     
         13 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 1 , wherein the peptide has fungicidal activity against antibiotic-tolerant fungi. 
     
     
         14 . The antibacterial or fungicidal peptide according to  claim 13 , wherein the antibiotic-tolerant fungi are  Candida albicans  ( C. albicans  CCARM 14001, 14007, 14020). 
     
     
         15 . An antibacterial or fungicidal composition comprising the antibacterial or fungicidal peptide of  claim 1  as an active ingredient. 
     
     
         16 . The antibacterial or fungicidal composition according to  claim 15 , wherein the composition is selected from the group consisting of an antibacterial or fungicidal pharmaceutical composition, an antibacterial or fungicidal cosmetic composition, a non-toxic agricultural pesticide, and a preservative for medicine, cosmetics, food, or feed. 
     
     
         17 . A method for suppressing bacteria or fungi comprising the step of treating a pharmaceutically effective dose of the antibacterial or fungicidal composition of  claim 15  to the target bacteria or fungi to suppress them. 
     
     
         18 . A method for treating the pathogenic bacteria or fungi caused disease comprising the step of administering a pharmaceutically effective dose of the antibacterial or fungicidal composition of  claim 15  to a subject having the pathogenic bacteria or fungi caused disease.