title: A new class (penaeidin class 4) of antimicrobial peptides from the Atlantic white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) exhibits target specificity and an independent proline-rich-domain function.
abstract: A highly pure, chemically defined representative of a new class of antimicrobial peptide from the Atlantic white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), penaeidin class 4 [Pen4-1 (penaeidin class 4 isoform 1)], was produced synthetically. Chemical synthesis was achieved by native ligation from two separate domains yielding a bioactive peptide that reflected the characteristics of native penaeidin. Synthetic Pen4-1 proved to be an effective antimicrobial peptide, particularly against the broad-spectrum pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, exhibiting a complex effect on reproductive growth at inhibitory concentrations resulting in the suppression of spore formation. Pen4-1 exhibits unique features [not previously observed for penaeidins from the Pacific white shrimp (L. vannamei)], including target-species specificity against Gram-positive bacteria, indicating a potential partitioning of antimicrobial function among this family of peptides. The proline-rich domain of penaeidin class 4 alone was an active antimicrobial peptide, having the same target range as the full-length Pen4-1. These findings indicate that the proline-rich domain of penaeidin is sufficient to confer target specificity and that divergence in this domain between classes can result in a gain in antimicrobial function as observed for the proline-rich domain of Pen4-1.
authors.affiliation: Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 221 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cuthbertson
authors.forename: Erika E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Büllesbach
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fievet
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bachère
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055232:Proline-Rich Protein Domains; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein / Q000379:methods; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002457:Cell Extracts; D010455:Peptides; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011506:Proteins; C109158:penaeidin 3; D002686:Chitin