Pseudin-2: an antimicrobial peptide with low hemolytic activity from the skin of the paradoxical frog

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001 Nov 9;288(4):1001-5. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.2001.5884.

Abstract

Four structurally related peptides (pseudins 1-4) with antimicrobial activity were isolated from an extract of the skin of the paradoxical frog Pseudis paradoxa (Pseudidae). Pseudin-2 (GLNALKKVFQGIHEAIKLINNHVQ) was the most abundant peptide (22 nmol/g tissue) and also the most potent (minimum inhibitory concentrations, MIC = 2.5 microM against Escherichia coli, 80 microM against Staphylococcus aureus, and 130 microM against Candida albicans). The concentration of pseudin-2 producing 50% hemolysis of human erythrocytes was >300 microM. Circular dichroism studies showed that the pseudins belong to the class of cationic, amphipathic alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides but their amino acid sequences are not similar to any previously characterized peptides from frog skin. The pseudins do, however, show sequence similarity with a region at the C-terminus of DEFT, a death effector domain-containing protein expressed in mammalian testicular germ cells that is involved in the regulation of apoptosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amphibian Proteins*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Infective Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemistry
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Anura*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Circular Dichroism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins*
  • Death Domain Receptor Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Hemolysis / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Skin / chemistry*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects

Substances

  • Amphibian Proteins
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • DEDD protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Death Domain Receptor Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • pseudin-2 protein, Pseudis paradoxa