title: Metchnikowin, a novel immune-inducible proline-rich peptide from Drosophila with antibacterial and antifungal properties.
abstract: One of the characteristics of the host defense of higher insects is the rapid and transient synthesis of a variety of potent antimicrobial peptides. To date, several distinct inducible antimicrobial peptides or peptide families have been totally or partially characterized. We present here the isolation and characterization of a novel 26-residue proline-rich immune-inducible peptide from Drosophila, which exhibits both antibacterial (Gram-positive) and antifungal activities. Peptide sequencing and cDNA cloning indicate the presense of two isoforms in our Drosophila Oregon strain, which differ by one residue (His compared to Arg) as a consequence of a single nucleotide change. The gene, which maps in position 52A1-2 on the right arm of the second chromosome, is expressed in the fat body after immune challenge. The novel peptide, which we propose to name metchnikowin, is a member of a family of proline-rich peptides, and we discuss the possible evolutionary relationships within this family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Breeding, St Petersburg State University, Russia.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Levashina
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohresser
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bulet
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Reichhart
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hetru
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011392:Proline / Q000032:analysis*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D010455:Peptides; C096696:Mtk protein, Drosophila; D011392:Proline