KKLFKKILKYL-NH2. BP100 was originally designed and optimized as an antimicrobial peptide to protect against plant pathogens.
BP100 (KKLFKKILKYL‑NH₂) is a cationic antimicrobial peptide originally designed to target Gram‑negative bacterial membranes through a carpet‑like mechanism—transitioning to α‑helical structure upon binding, inserting into membranes, and promoting permeabilization. It functions preferentially against anionic membranes while maintaining low toxicity to plant or mammalian cells.
Recently, BP100 has been shown to inhibit twitching motility of Xylella fastidiosa at non‑bactericidal concentrations (~3 µM), reducing systemic colonization in almond plants and protecting against leaf scorch when applied via endotherapy.
R9-BP100 is a cell-penetrating peptide that can be used as a delivery tool for rapid and efficient gene delivery into plant cells. R9-BP100 is made up of nine tandem polyarginine R9 (RRRRRRRRR) and BP100 (KKLFKKILKYL). R9 is a derivative of TAT where all amino acids are substituted for arginine. R9 was known for its effectiveness in both plant and mammalian systems as well as its relatively well-characterized mechanism of action in mammalian cells. When fused to an R9 polyarginine CPP (forming R9‑BP100), BP100 also provides membrane affinity and uptake efficiency, making it a dual‑function tool for gene delivery and plant pathogen management in a single construct.
R9 appeared to be the most effective of the tested CPPs, with TAT being 0.77 times as effective as R9, and BP100 or GFP11 alone showing no statistically significant signal (doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.05.03.490515).
Image reference: Biomacromolecules 2013, 14, 1, 10-16.
Reference: Mitigation of Almond Leaf Scorch by a Peptide that Inhibits the Motility of Xylella fastidiosa, Published Online:27 Jan 2025, https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-24-1414-RE
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