title: Characterization of crustins from the hemocytes of the spider crab, Hyas araneus, and the red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus.
abstract: Crustins are distributed across the decapods and are believed to play a significant part in the humoral defense system of their host. In this study, two crustin isoforms from Hyas araneus hemocytes were purified and tested for antimicrobial activity against selected microorganisms. They show both antibacterial and antifungal activity, with highest activity against the Gram-positive bacteria Corynebacterium glutamicum. Sequencing of the transcripts showed them to have a mature peptide of 90 amino acids and differing in three positions in the mature peptide. They were named CruHa1 and CruHa2. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that they mainly are expressed in hemocytes. Screening a cDNA library detected a crustin sequence in Paralithodes camtschaticus hemocytes, coding for a mature peptide of 98 amino acids. It was named CruPc. Based on phylogenetic inference and primary structure, CruHa1 and CruHa2 were placed within the Type I group of crustins, while CruPc belongs to the Type II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biotechnology, The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Sigmund V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Sperstad
authors.forename: Tor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Paulsen
authors.forename: Tone Mari
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Rode
authors.forename: Guro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strandskog
authors.forename: Stein Tore
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Solem
authors.forename: Olaf B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Styrvold
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stensvåg
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D033381:Anomura / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003386:Brachyura / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D048230:Corynebacterium glutamicum / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides