In vivo target exploration of apidaecin based on Acquired Resistance induced by Gene Overexpression (ARGO assay)

Identifying the target molecules of antimicrobial agents is essential for assessing their mode of action. Here, we propose Acquired Resistance induced by Gene Overexpression (ARGO) as a novel in vivo approach for exploring target proteins of antimicrobial agents. The principle of the method is based on the fact that overexpression of the expected target protein leads to reduced sensitivity to the antimicrobial agent. We applied this approach to identify target proteins of the antimicrobial peptide apidaecin, which is specifically effective against Gram-negative bacteria. To this end, a set of overexpression Escherichia coli clones was tested, and peptide chain release factor 1, which directs the termination of translation, was found as a candidate, suggesting that apidaecin inhibits the termination step of translation. This finding was confirmed in vivo and in vitro by evaluating the inhibitory activity of apidaecin towards lacZ reporter gene expression, which is tightly dependent on its stop codon. The results of this study demonstrate that apidaecin exerts its antimicrobial effects partly by inhibiting release factors.