title: Characterization of two novel polyfunctional mastoparan peptides from the venom of the social wasp Polybia paulista.
abstract: Hymenoptera venoms are complex mixtures of biochemically and pharmacologically active components such as biogenic amines, peptides and proteins. Polycationic peptides generally constitute the largest group of Hymenoptera venom toxins, and the mastoparans constitute the most abundant and important class of peptides in the venom of social wasps. These toxins are responsible for histamine release from mast cells, serotonin from platelets, and catecholamines and adenylic acids from adrenal chromafin cells. The present work reports the structural and functional characterization of two novel mastoparan peptides identified from the venom of the neotropical social wasp Polybia paulista. The mastoparans Polybia-MP-II and -III were purified, sequenced and synthesized on solid phase using Fmoc chemistry and the synthetic peptides used for structural and functional characterizations. Polybia-MP-II and -III are tetradecapeptides, amidated at their C-termini, and form amphipathic alpha-helical conformations under membrane-mimetic conditions. Both peptides were polyfunctional, causing pronounced cell lysis of rat mast cells and erythrocytes, in addition to having antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
authors.affiliation: CEIS/Dept. Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bibiana Monson
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Alessandra Vaso Rodrigues
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Virginia Maria Ferreira
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: Helen Andrade
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Arcuri
authors.forename: Marcia Perez
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Cabrera
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruggiero Neto
authors.forename: Mario Sergio
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Palma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D006088:Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D014863:Wasps / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D014862:Wasp Venoms; C037500:mastoparan; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase