title: Seminal plasmin.
abstract: The importance of seminal plasma in fertilization was appreciated as early as 1677 and would thus hardly seem a source for the search of antibacterial agents. The observation that seminal plasma had the ability to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in 1940 led to a systematic search for molecules possessing antimicrobial activity in addition to factors that might have a role in reproductive physiology. Extensive investigations led to the discovery in bovine seminal fluid of a 47-residue peptide, possessing potent antimicrobial activity as well as calcium transport modulatory properties in bovine sperm. We describe in this article the two, apparently unrelated, biological activities of this peptide.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sitaram
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagaraj
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D029607:Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins
chemical_list: D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D029607:Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins; C043076:beta-microseminoprotein; D002118:Calcium