Decoralin, a novel linear cationic alpha-helical peptide from the venom of the solitary eumenine wasp Oreumenes decoratus.
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.
Konno
Katsuhiro
K
Center for Applied Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP 05503-900, Brazil. Katsuhiro.Konno@stevens.edu
Rangel
Marisa
M
Oliveira
Joacir Stolarz
JS
Dos Santos Cabrera
Marcia Perez
MP
Fontana
Renato
R
Hirata
Izaura Yoshico
IY
Hide
Izumi
I
Nakata
Yoshihiro
Y
Mori
Kanami
K
Kawano
Marii
M
Fuchino
Hiroyuki
H
Sekita
Setsuko
S
Neto
João Ruggiero
JR
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
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D014862:Wasp Venoms