title: Antimicrobial action of achacin is mediated by L-amino acid oxidase activity.
abstract: Achacin is an antibacterial glycoprotein purified from the mucus of the giant snail, Achatina fulica Férussac, as a humoral defense factor. We showed that achacin has L-amino acid oxidase activity and can generate cytotoxic H(2)O(2); however, the concentration of H(2)O(2) was not sufficient to kill bacteria. The antibacterial activity of achacin was inhibited by various H(2)O(2) scavengers. Immunochemical analysis revealed that achacin was preferentially bound to growth-phase bacteria, accounting for the important role in growth-phase-dependent antibacterial activity of achacin. Achacin may act as an important defense molecule against invading bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, 102-8554, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ehara
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanzawa
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamiya
authors.forename: Takahide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D050830:L-Amino Acid Oxidase; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009479:Neuropeptides; C077200:achacin; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D050830:L-Amino Acid Oxidase