title: Molecular cloning and functional characterization of novel antimicrobial peptides from the skin of brown frog, Rana zhenhaiensis.
abstract: Rana zhenhaiensis, a species of brown frog, is widely distributed in central and south China. In the present study, a total of 14 cDNA sequences encoding eight novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were cloned from the synthesized cDNAs of R. zhenhaiensis skin. The eight novel AMPs belong to four families: brevinin-1 (four peptides), brevinin-2 (one peptide), ranatuerin-2 (one peptide) and chensinin-1 (two peptides), five AMPs from the four families (brevinin-1ZHa, brevinin-1ZHb, brevinin-2ZHa, ranatuerin-2ZHa and chensinin-1ZHa) were chemically synthesized, their antimicrobial and hemolytic activities were examined. The results indicated that the five AMPs possess different antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. Of these, brevinin-2ZHa exhibited the strongest and most broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiment was carried out to investigate the potential antimicrobial mechanism of chensinin-1ZHa. The result indicated that chensinin-1ZHa may exert its function through disruption of the bacterial membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Baohua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Helong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Che
authors.forename: Lumei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Shuangyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Songniu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Fusheng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011898:Ranidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012313:RNA