title: Isolation and Characterization of a Defensin-Like Peptide (Coprisin) from the Dung Beetle, Copris tripartitus.
abstract: The antibacterial activity of immune-related peptides, identified by a differential gene expression analysis, was investigated to suggest novel antibacterial peptides. A cDNA encoding a defensin-like peptide, Coprisin, was isolated from bacteria-immunized dung beetle, Copris tripartitus, by using differential dot blot hybridization. Northern blot analysis showed that Coprisin mRNA was up-regulated from 4 hours after bacteria injection and its expression level was reached a peak at 16 hours. The deduced amino acid sequence of Coprisin was composed of 80 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 8.6 kDa and a pI of 8.7. The amino acid sequence of mature Coprisin was found to be 79.1% and 67.4% identical to those of defensin-like peptides of Anomala cuprea and Allomyrina dichotoma, respectively. We also investigated active sequences of Coprisin by using amino acid modification. The result showed that the 9-mer peptide, LLCIALRKK-NH(2), exhibited potent antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
authors: National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Suwon 441-707, South Korea.
authors: Jae-Sam
authors: JS
authors: Hwang
authors: Juneyoung
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Yeon-Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Kim
authors: Hea-Son
authors: HS
authors: Bang
authors: Eun-Young
authors: EY
authors: Yun
authors: Seong-Ryul
authors: SR
authors: Kim
authors: Hwa-Jin
authors: HJ
authors: Suh
authors: Bo-Ram
authors: BR
authors: Kang
authors: Sung-Hee
authors: SH
authors: Nam
authors: Jae-Pil
authors: JP
authors: Jeon
authors: Iksoo
authors: I
authors: Kim
authors: Dong Gun
authors: DG
authors: Lee