title: Isolation, amino acid sequence and biological activities of novel long-chain polyamine-associated peptide toxins from the sponge Axinyssa aculeata.
abstract: A novel family of functionalized peptide toxins, aculeines (ACUs), was isolated from the marine sponge Axinyssa aculeate. ACUs are polypeptides with N-terminal residues that are modified by the addition of long-chain polyamines (LCPA). Aculeines were present in the sponge extract as a complex mixture with differing polyamine chain lengths and peptide structures. ACU-A and B, which were purified in this study, share a common polypeptide chain but differ in their N-terminal residue modifications. The amino acid sequence of the polypeptide portion of ACU-A and B was deduced from 3' and 5' RACE, and supported by Edman degradation and mass spectral analysis of peptide fragments. ACU induced convulsions upon intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection in mice, and disrupted neuronal membrane integrity in electrophysiological assays. ACU also lysed erythrocytes with a potency that differed between animal species. Here we describe the isolation, amino acid sequence, and biological activity of this new group of cytotoxic sponge peptides.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate 041-8611, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jimbo
authors.forename: Martin B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: L Leanne Lash-Van
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wyhe
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Ken'ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nonomura
authors.forename: Geoffrey T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003292:Convulsants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D003292:Convulsants; D010455:Peptides; D011073:Polyamines; D014118:Toxins, Biological