Most of amphibians belonging to family Rhacophoridae live in arboreal habitats. A large number of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified from amphibian skins. No antimicrobial peptide from Rhacophoridae amphibians has been reported. In this study, we purified and characterized a novel antimicrobial peptide, pleurain-a1-thel from skin secretions of the tree frog, Theloderma kwangsiensis. Its amino acid sequence was determined as RILTMTKRVKMPQLYKQIVCRLFKTC by Edman degradation, mass spectrometry analysis and cDNA cloning. There are two cysteines, which form an intra-molecular disulfide bridge, in the sequence of pleurain-a1-thel. Pleurain-a1-thel exerted potential antimicrobial activities against wide spectrum of microorganisms, including Gram-negative and -positive bacteria and fungi. It exerted little hemolytic activity in human or rabbit red cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of antimicrobial peptide from Rhacophoridae amphibians.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 September 2013
A Novel Antimicrobial Peptide from Skin Secretions of the Tree Frog Theloderma kwangsiensis
Hongli Yan,
Yingying Liu,
Jing Tang,
Guoxiang Mo,
Yuzhu Song,
Xiuwen Yan,
Lin Wei,
Ren Lai
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Zoological Science
Vol. 30 • No. 9
September 2013
Vol. 30 • No. 9
September 2013
Amphibia
antimicrobial peptide
skin secretion
Theloderma kwangsiensis
tree frog