title: The maculatin peptides from the skin glands of the tree frog Litoria genimaculata: a comparison of the structures and antibacterial activities of maculatin 1.1 and caerin 1.1.
abstract: Six peptides have been isolated and characterized from the dorsal glands of the tree frog Litoria genimaculata. One of these is the known hypotensive peptide caerulein; the others have been named maculatins. The amino acid sequences of the maculatin peptides have been determined using a combination of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and automated Edman sequencing. Four of the maculatin peptides show antibiotic activity, with maculatin 1.1 [GLFGVLAKVAAHVVPAIAEHF(NH2)] showing the most pronounced activity, particularly against gram-positive organisms. Maculatin 1.1 resembles the known caerin 1 antibiotic peptides, except that four of the central amino acid residues (of the caerin 1 system) are missing in maculatin 1.1. A comparison of the antibiotic activity of maculatin 1.1 with those of caerin 1.1 is reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rozek
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Waugh
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Steinborner
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bowie
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001001:Anura; D001315:Australia; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009512:New Guinea; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D010455:Peptides; C107616:caerin 1.1, Anura; C113499:maculatin-1.1 protein, Litoria