title: Decoralin, a novel linear cationic alpha-helical peptide from the venom of the solitary eumenine wasp Oreumenes decoratus.
abstract: A novel peptide, decoralin, was isolated from the venom of the solitary eumenine wasp Oreumenes decoratus. Its sequence, Ser-Leu-Leu-Ser-Leu-Ile-Arg-Lys-Leu-Ile-Thr, was determined by Edman degradation and corroborated by solid-phase synthesis. This sequence has the characteristic features of linear cationic alpha-helical peptides; rich in hydrophobic and basic amino acids with no disulfide bond, and accordingly, it can be predicted to adopt an amphipathic alpha-helix secondary structure. In fact, the CD spectra of decoralin in the presence of TFE or SDS showed a high alpha-helical conformation content. In a biological evaluation, decoralin exhibited a significant broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and moderate mast cell degranulation and leishmanicidal activities, but showed virtually no hemolytic activity. A synthetic analog with C-terminal amidation showed a much more potent activity in all the biological assays.
authors.affiliation: Center for Applied Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP 05503-900, Brazil. Katsuhiro.Konno@stevens.edu
authors.forename: Katsuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.forename: Joacir Stolarz
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Marcia Perez
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Cabrera
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Izaura Yoshico
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hide
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Kanami
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Marii
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fuchino
authors.forename: Setsuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sekita
authors.forename: João Ruggiero
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Neto
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D051381:Rats; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D014863:Wasps / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D014862:Wasp Venoms