Balteatide: a novel antimicrobial decapeptide from the skin secretion of the purple-sided leaf frog, Phyllomedusa baltea

ScientificWorldJournal. 2014:2014:176214. doi: 10.1155/2014/176214. Epub 2014 Jun 26.

Abstract

The skin secretions of Neotropical phyllomedusine leaf frogs have proven to be a rich source of biologically active peptides, including antimicrobials. The major families of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) reported are the dermaseptins and phylloseptins and the minor families are the dermatoxins, phylloxins, plasticins, distinctins, and medusins. Here, we report a novel AMP of 10 amino acid residues (LRPAILVRIKamide), named balteatide, from the skin secretion of wild Peruvian purple-sided leaf frogs, Phyllomedusa baltea. Balteatide was found to exhibit a 90% sequence identity with sauvatide, a potent myotropic peptide from the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa sauvagei. However, despite both peptides exhibiting only a single amino acid difference (I/T at position 9), sauvatide is devoid of antimicrobial activity and balteatide is devoid of myotropic activity. Balteatide was found to have differential activity against the Gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus; the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli; and the yeast, Candida albicans, and unusual for phyllomedusine frog skin AMPs, was most potent (MIC 32 mg/L) against the yeast. Balteatide was also devoid of haemolytic activity up to concentrations of 512 mg/L. Phyllomedusine frog skin secretions thus continue to provide novel AMPs, some of which may provide templates for the rational design of new classes of anti-infective therapeutics.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amphibian Proteins / chemistry
  • Amphibian Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Amphibian Venoms / chemistry
  • Amphibian Venoms / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemistry
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Anura / metabolism*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Hemolytic Agents / chemistry
  • Hemolytic Agents / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscle, Smooth / drug effects
  • Oligopeptides / chemistry
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects

Substances

  • Amphibian Proteins
  • Amphibian Venoms
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Hemolytic Agents
  • Oligopeptides
  • balteatide peptide, Phyllomedusa baltea
  • leucyl-arginyl-prolyl-alanyl-isoleucyl-leucyl-valyl-arginyl-threonyl-lysinamide

Associated data

  • GENBANK/HG937610