title: Differential expression and antibacterial activity of WFDC10A in the monkey epididymis.
abstract: The ability of the epididymis to perform its diverse functions stems from its regionalized gene and protein expression patterns. The differences in the gene expression patterns of the caput and cauda regions of the bonnet monkey epididymis were compared using the technique of differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. A transcript showing homology to human whey acidic protein 10 (hWFDC10A) was highly expressed in the monkey caput region. A peptide P2 was designed spanning a region of the monkey WFDC10A (mWFDC10A), which could inhibit the growth of gram-negative bacterial strains of Escherichia coli. P2 could permeabilize the bacterial cell membrane but was unable to permeabilize mammalian cells as evidenced by the lack of hemolysis upon incubation with the peptide. Expression of genes such as mWFDC10A may be essential in providing the first line of defense against microbial infections to the epididymal tract and thus rendering protection to the male gametes sheltered within the epididymis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shayu
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chennakesava
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern / Q000379:methods; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects; D004822:Epididymis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D000882:Haplorhini / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins