Termite-Derived Spinigerin: A Novel Peptide Antibiotic against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

The rise of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a significant threat to global health, necessitating the search for alternative therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of spinigerin, a peptide antibiotic, against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. One hundred fish pond water samples were collected from five locations in Uli community, Nigeria. The isolates were characterized using cultural, morphological, and molecular techniques. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using disc diffusion method, and spinigerin was extracted from termite gut using solvent extraction and chromatographic techniques. The inhibitory activity of spinigerin was evaluated using micro tube dilution method. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (LG03, F065, F076) exhibited 43.59% resistance to conventional antibiotics, with 82.35% showing multi-antibiotic resistance. Spinigerin showed varying degrees of inhibitory activity against the isolates, with significant differences in activity among concentrations (p < 0.05). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of spinigerin against PA03, PA065, and PA076 ranged from 0.0625% to 1.0000%. Spinigerin has potential as an antimicrobial agent against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates, warranting further investigation into its modes of action and potential applications. This study highlights the potential of spinigerin as a novel peptide antibiotic against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa.