title: Direct antimicrobial activities of PR-bombesin.
abstract: PR-bombesin is a bombesin-like peptide derived from the skin of the Chinese red belly toad, Bombina maxima. The 8-residue segment of N-terminal of RP-bombesin, comprising four prolines and three basic residues, is extensively different from other bombesin-like peptides. Since sequence of Pro-Arg-Pro generally plays an important role in the antimicrobial activity of proline-rich antimicrobial peptides, the componential feature of PR-bombesin indicates that it may have antimicrobial activity. In this paper, we presented the first evidence that bombesin-like peptides possess direct antimicrobial activities as some neuropeptides. It was determined by CD spectroscopy that PR-bombesin adopted a combination of random coil and beta-sheet structure, suggesting RP-bombesin is a new member of antimicrobial peptides having beta structure but without disulfide bonds. Current results also supported that PR-bombesin plays a direct defensive role besides its neuro-endocrological functions.
authors.affiliation: Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.
authors.forename: Jianxu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xueqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Haining
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hailong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhongxian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ren
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001001:Anura; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001839:Bombesin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002942:Circular Dichroism / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011392:Proline; D001839:Bombesin