Abstract
A 255-bp cDNA encoding an 84-amino acid residue (aa) precursor protein containing 8 half-cysteines was cloned from the skin of the frog, Ceratophrys calcarata. By sequence comparison and signal peptide prediction, the precursor was predicted to release a 63-aa mature peptide with amino acid sequence, NVTPATKPTPSKPGYCRVMDELILCPDPPLSKDLCKNDSDCPGAQKCCYRTCIMQCLPPIFRE. The mature was named ceratoxin. Ceratoxin shares significant sequence similarity with the toxin family of waprins containing the whey acidic protein-type (WAP) four-disulfide core domain found in snake venoms. Antimicrobial and trypsin-inhibitory abilities of recombinant ceratoxin were tested. Recombinant ceratoxin showed strong antimicrobial activities against wide spectrum of microorganisms including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. It had no serine protease-inhibitory activity. The current results suggested that the snake venom-like waprin with antimicrobial activities in the frog skin plays a role in innate immunity.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Amino Acid Sequence
-
Amphibian Venoms / genetics
-
Amphibian Venoms / metabolism
-
Amphibian Venoms / pharmacology
-
Animals
-
Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry
-
Anti-Infective Agents / metabolism*
-
Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
-
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / genetics
-
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / metabolism
-
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology
-
Anura / genetics
-
Anura / metabolism*
-
Base Sequence
-
Chymotrypsin / antagonists & inhibitors
-
Chymotrypsin / metabolism
-
Cloning, Molecular
-
DNA, Complementary / chemistry
-
DNA, Complementary / genetics
-
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
-
Erythrocytes / drug effects
-
Hemolysis
-
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
-
Molecular Sequence Data
-
Rabbits
-
Sequence Analysis, DNA
-
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
-
Skin / metabolism*
-
Snake Venoms / metabolism
-
Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
-
Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
-
Staphylococcus aureus / growth & development
-
Substrate Specificity
-
Subtilisin / antagonists & inhibitors
-
Subtilisin / metabolism
-
Toxins, Biological / genetics
-
Toxins, Biological / metabolism*
-
Toxins, Biological / pharmacology
Substances
-
Amphibian Venoms
-
Anti-Infective Agents
-
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
-
DNA, Complementary
-
Snake Venoms
-
Toxins, Biological
-
ceratoxin, Ceratophrys calcarata
-
Chymotrypsin
-
Subtilisin