title: Small, anionic, and charge-neutralizing propeptide fragments of zymogens are antimicrobial.
abstract: Some inactive precursor proteins, or zymogens, contain small, amino terminus, homopolymeric regions of Asp that neutralize the cationic charge of the active protein during synthesis. After posttranslational cleavage, the anionic propeptide fragment may exhibit antimicrobial activity. To demonstrate this, ovine trypsinogen activation peptide, and frog (Xenopus laevis) PYL activation peptide, both containing homopolymeric regions of Asp, were synthesized and tested against previously described surfactant-associated anionic peptide. Peptides inhibited the growth of both gram-negative (MIC, 0.08 to 3.00 mM) and gram-positive (MIC, 0.94 to 2.67 mM) bacteria. Small, anionic, and charge-neutralizing propeptide fragments of zymogens form a new class of host-derived antimicrobial peptides important in innate defense.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory and Neurologic Disease Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa 50010, USA. kbrogden@nadc.ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brogden
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Huttner
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors