title: Expression of defensins in non-infected araneomorph spiders.
abstract: Defensins are a major family of antimicrobial peptides found throughout the phylogenetic tree. From the spider species: Cupiennius salei, Phoneutria reidyi, Polybetes pythagoricus, Tegenaria atrica, and Meta menardi, defensins belonging to the 'ancestral' class of invertebrate defensins were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences contain the characteristic six cysteines of this class of defensins and reveal precursors of 60 or 61 amino acid residues. The mature peptides consist of 37 amino acid residues, showing up to 70% identities with tick and scorpion defensins. In C. salei, defensin mRNA was found to be constitutively expressed in hemocytes, ovaries, subesophageal nerve mass, hepatopancreas, and muscle tissue. This is the first report presenting and comparing antimicrobial peptides belonging to the family of defensins from spiders.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuhn-Nentwig
authors.forename: Carlo R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Largiadèr
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nentwig
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001483:Base Sequence; D023082:Defensins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics; D013112:Spiders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013987:Ticks / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023082:Defensins; D010455:Peptides