Antinematodal activity and the mechanism of the antimicrobial peptide, HP (2-20), against Caenorhabditis elegans

The peptide HP (2-20), derived from the N-terminal sequence of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 (RPL1), has a nematicidal activity against eggs and worms of Caenorhabditis elegans. Eggs treated with HP (2-20) (69%) has a higher fluorescence intensity with propidium iodide staining, which was similar to that of melittin (82%) but higher than untreated cells (5.7%). Confocal microscopy showed that the peptides were located in the shell of the eggs and the inner and outer surfaces of the worms. HP (2-20) therefore may exert its antinematodal activity by disrupting the structure of the egg's shell and the cell membrane via pore formation or by direct interaction with the lipid bilayers in a detergent-like manner.