title: Antimicrobial peptides from skin secretions of Chinese red belly toad Bombina maxima.
abstract: Two groups of antimicrobial peptides have been isolated from skin secretions of Bombina maxima. Peptides in the first group, named maximins 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, are structurally related to bombinin-like peptides (BLPs). Unlike BLPs, sequence variations in maximins occurred all through the molecules. In addition to the potent antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity against tumor cells and spermicidal action of maximins, maximin 3 possessed a significant anti-HIV activity. Maximins 1 and 3 were toxic to mice with LD(50) values of 8.2 and 4.3 mg/kg, respectively. Peptides in the second group, termed maximins H1, H2, H3 and H4, are homologous with bombinin H peptides. cDNA sequences revealed that one maximin peptide plus one maximin H peptide derived from a common larger protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Toxinology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, People's Republic of, Yunnan, China.
authors.forename: Ren
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Yong Tang
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ji Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Guan Jie
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shao Zhong
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001001:Anura; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D023421:Models, Animal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010455:Peptides; C451507:maximin H1