Antimicrobial peptides from skin secretions of Hypsiboas pulchellus (Anura: Hylidae)

J Nat Prod. 2014 Apr 25;77(4):831-41. doi: 10.1021/np4009317. Epub 2014 Apr 9.

Abstract

The skin of many amphibians produces a large repertoire of antimicrobial peptides that are crucial in the first line of defense against microbial invasion. Despite the immense richness of wild amphibians in Argentina, knowledge about peptides with antimicrobial properties is limited to a few species. Here we used LC-MS-MS to analyze samples of Hypsiboas pulchellus skin with the aim to identify antimicrobial peptides in the mass range of 1000 to 2000 Da. Twenty-three novel sequences were identified by MS, three of which were selected for chemical synthesis and further studies. The three synthetic peptides, named P1-Hp-1971, P2-Hp-1935, and P3-Hp-1891, inhibited the growth of two ATCC strains: Escherichia coli (MIC: 16, 33, and 17 μM, respectively) and Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: 8, 66, and 17 μM, respectively). P1-Hp-1971 and P3-Hp-1891 were the most active peptides. P1-Hp-1971, which showed the highest therapeutic indices (40 for E. coli and 80 for S. aureus), is a proline-glycine-rich peptide with a highly unordered structure, while P3-Hp-1891 adopts an amphipathic α-helical structure in the presence of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol and anionic liposomes. This is the first peptidomic study of Hypsiboas pulchellus skin secretions to allow the identification of antimicrobial peptides.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • 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*
  • Argentina
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Structure
  • Skin / metabolism*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • P1-Hp-1971 peptide, Hypsiboas pulchellus
  • P2-Hp-1935 peptide, Hypsiboas pulchellus
  • P3-Hp-1891 peptide, Hypsiboas pulchellus