title: Molecular cloning of crustins from the hemocytes of Brazilian penaeid shrimps.
abstract: Crustins are antimicrobial peptides initially identified in the hemocytes of the crab Carcinus maenas (11.5-kDa peptide or carcinin) and recently also recognized in penaeid shrimps and other crustacean species. The aim of this study was to identify sequences encoding for crustins from the hemocytes of four Brazilian penaeid species: Farfantepenaeus paulensis, Farfantepenaeus subtilis, Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis and Litopenaeus schmitti. Using primers based on consensus nucleotide alignment of crustins from different crustaceans, cDNA sequences coding for crustins in all indigenous penaeid species were amplified. The obtained four crustin sequences encoded for peptides containing a hydrophobic N-terminal region rich in glycine repeats and a C-terminal part with 12 cysteine residues and a conserved whey acidic protein domain. All obtained crustin sequences showed high amino acidic similarity among each other and with crustins from litopenaeid shrimps (76-98%). This is the first report of crustins in native Brazilian penaeid shrimps.
authors: Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors: Rafael Diego
authors: RD
authors: Rosa
authors: Paula Terra
authors: PT
authors: Bandeira
authors: Margherita Anna
authors: MA
authors: Barracco
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000166:cytology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010455:Peptides