title: Characterization and functional recovery of a novel antimicrobial peptide (CECdir-CECret) from inclusion bodies after expression in Escherichia coli.
abstract: CECdir-CECret is a novel non-toxic doublet 8.5 kDa peptide representing the natural coding sequence of the antimicrobial peptide Cecropin A from Drosophila melanogaster fused in-frame to its own inverted version. Expression of this cloned doublet peptide in Escherichia coli, yielded peptides that were mostly packaged into inclusion bodies. The new molecule was purified, solubilized and refolded, through a standard guanidine-based procedure. The recovered refolded peptides were then characterized by HPLC chromatography, MALDI-TOF-mass spectrometry and peptide sequencing, and finally evaluated for their antimicrobial potential. The novel doublet peptide CECdir-CECret, displays an enhanced in vitro antimicrobial activity and action spectrum in comparison to the monomer Cecropin A.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mercado
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arenas
authors.forename: Sergio H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C530452:CEC(dir)-CEC(ret) protein; D010455:Peptides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C031161:cecropin A