First insular record and DNA barcoding of Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 from Trizonia Island (Fokida, Greece)

Posted by
  First insular record and DNA barcoding of Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 from Trizonia Island (Fokida, Greece) Abstract Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), originally described from Aitoloakarnania and Fokida (Greece), is herein reported from Trizonia Island in the Gulf of Corinth, representing the first insular record for the species. The examined specimens are consistent with the diagnostic morphology of E. vailatii . The first molecular data for the species are provided, based on both mainland and insular populations. Comparative analyses further highlight the distinctiveness of E. vailatii from geographically close congeners, while phylogenetic results indicate a sister-taxon relationship with E. erymanthius , supporting a Quaternary biogeographic history shaped by the evolution of the Gulf of Corinth system. Kalaentzis, K., Frigioni, F., Panagiotopoulos, A., Tzoras, E., Minoudi, S., & Triantafyllidis, A. 2026 . First insul...

Scorpion Venom-Derived Peptides: A New Weapon Against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Posted by

 

Scorpion Venom-Derived Peptides: A New Weapon Against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is an opportunistic pathogen associated with healthcare-related infections and is of particular concern due to its high level of antibiotic resistance and its ability to form biofilms. The global emergence of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii highlights the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of two scorpion venom-derived peptides, pantinin-1 and pantinin-2, against a reference strain and a clinical isolate of A. baumannii. We found that both peptides, in the non-cytotoxic concentration range, have strong bactericidal activity, showing a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 6.25 μM and 12.5 μM for pantinin 1 and 2, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the peptides cause extensive damage to the bacterial membrane. Furthermore, both peptides showed potent antibiofilm activity, inhibiting adhesion and maturation, arresting biofilm expansion, and reducing the expression of key biofilm-associated genes (bap, pgaA, and smpA). Altogether, these findings indicate that pantinin-1 and pantinin-2 act through a dual mechanism, combining bactericidal and antivirulence activities. Their strong efficacy at low micromolar concentrations, together with low cytotoxicity, underscores their potential as innovative therapeutic candidates against infections caused by carbapenem-resistant, biofilm-forming A. baumannii.

Capasso, C.; Zannella, C.; Giugliano, R.; Chianese, A.; Monti, A.; Donadio, F.; Esposito, E.; Marino, G.; Doti, N.; De Filippis, A.; et al. Scorpion Venom-Derived Peptides: A New Weapon Against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Microorganisms 2026, 14, 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14010068