In-Silico Screening of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) from Halomonas sp. to Combat Vibriosis in Shrimp Aquaculture

Vibriosis caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus remains one of the major challenges in shrimp aquaculture. There is an urgent need for alternative antimicrobial strategies to reduce dependence on conventional antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are antimicrobial compounds derived from natural sources which are less harmful to the environment. In this study, we employed an in-silico screening approach to identify novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from the halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp., that are abundant in shrimp farming systems. Through a comprehensive computational pipeline, two AMP sequences were predicted with antibacterial activity against multiple pathogens, including V. parahaemolyticus. Further analysis showed short-peptide regions with high antimicrobial probability within the whole peptides. Among these, the sequence WRARGNVAQVIKLRR showed strong similarity to phage holin family proteins which are often studied as antibacterial agents. Physicochemical analyses of the sequence indicated favourable properties, including net positive charge (net charge = +5), good stability (II = 32.69), and balanced GRAVY score (-0.660). Although these findings are promising, further experimental validation is required to confirm the antimicrobial efficacy and environmental stability of these peptides under aquaculture conditions. The discovery of such marine-derived AMPs may offer an environmentally friendly and effective alternative for disease management in shrimp aquaculture. Keywords: antimicrobial peptides, Halomonas sp., in-silico screening, shrimp aquaculture, vibriosis