Proteomic analysis of psychedelic mushroom isolate and exploring potential antimicrobial peptides against bacteria.

Psychedelic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis contains antimicrobial peptides that may inhibit Staphylococcus aureus. Proteomic analysis using LC-MS/MS and gene ontology identified several peptides with favorable binding scores, suggesting potential efficacy against this bacterial pathogen. The findings indicate a promising avenue for discovering novel antimicrobial peptides to combat antibiotic resistance.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Psychedelic mushrooms belonging to basidiomycota have gained prominence in research due to the range of hallucinogenic compounds. To combat the challenge of antimicrobial resistance, exploring alternative antimicrobial peptides has become crucial. In this study, we present the proteomic analysis of psychedelic mushroom. Psilocybe cubensis was identified by molecular characterisation using the ITS1 and ITS4 regions. Subsequently, LC-MS/MS and gene ontology analyses were used to characterise the proteome of P. cubensis. The proteomic analysis unveiled several antimicrobial peptides. The results revealed favourable binding scores, suggesting the potential efficacy of these peptides against Staphylococcus aureus. Hence the inhibition of bacterial growth, supporting the antimicrobial properties of the identified peptides. In our findings, the individual peptides from P. cubensis against S. aureus suggest a promising avenue for the discovery of novel antimicrobial peptides.