Scorpion venom peptides enhance immunity and survival in Litopenaeus vannamei through antibacterial action against Vibrio parahaemolyticus

作者：Ling Zeng, Yulin Sun, Hualin Zhang, Xiangxi Yi, Ran Du, Ziming Chen, Qi Wang · 发表于：Frontiers in Immunology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/fimmu.2025.1551816 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms、Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities、Venomous Animal Envenomation and Studies

Introduction Scorpion venom-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising candidates for combating bacterial infections owing to their potent activity and unique mechanisms of action. This study focuses on three 13-amino-acid peptides—BmKn1, BmKn2, and BmKn2-7—derived from the venom of Mesobuthus martensii . The aim is to elucidate their structural features, antibacterial efficacy, and immunomodulatory effects in Litopenaeus vannamei infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP). Methods The peptides were synthesized and comprehensively characterized for their amphipathic α-helical structures, net charges, and hydrophobicity. Their antibacterial mechanisms were investigated using a series of assays, including membrane permeability (inner/outer membrane disruption), membrane depolarization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) quantification, and ATPase activity measurement. In vivo challenge experiments were conducted to evaluate survival rates in L. vannamei infected with VP. Additionally, immune enzyme activities (phenoloxidase [PO], complement component 3 [C3]) and inflammatory/antimicrobial gene expression levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β, ALF, Crus) were analyzed. Furthermore, intestinal transcriptome profiling was performed to identify the activated immune pathways. Results All peptides exhibited membrane-targeting activity: BmKn2-7 showed superior outer membrane penetration and depolarization, while BmKn1 was more effective in inner membrane disruption and ROS induc...