title: Three new antimicrobial peptides from the scorpion Pandinus imperator.
abstract: Three novel cysteine-free venom peptides, which were referred to as Pantinin-1, Pantinin-2 and Pantinin-3, respectively, have been identified from the scorpion Pandinus imperator by cDNA cloning strategy. The precursor of each peptide consists of a signal peptide, a mature peptide with no disulfide bridges, and an acidic propeptide with a typical processing signal. Each of the three peptides is an α-helical, cationic and amphipathic molecule with 13 or 14 amino acid residues. Their amino acid sequences are homologous to those of some 13-mer antimicrobial peptides isolated from scorpions. Antimicrobial assay showed that all the three peptides possess relatively strong activities against Gram-positive bacteria and a fungus, but have very weak antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative bacteria. Toxicity assay showed that the three peptides exhibit very low or mild hemolytic activities against human red blood cells. It is interesting to see that Pantinin-3 is able to potently inhibit the growth of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) S13, a pathogen that can cause a number of human infections; this suggests that Pantinin-3 has great potential to be applied in the treatment of VRE infections. Our findings gain new insights into the structure/function relationships of the small linear cationic antimicrobial peptides from scorpions, and provide new templates for designing of antimicrobial agents targeting antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, School of Environmental Studies & State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China. xianchun.zeng@gmail.com
authors.forename: Xian-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Lingli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wanxia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xuesong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Jinwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shifen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hanjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D012605:Scorpions / Q000737:chemistry*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012604:Scorpion Venoms; C585567:pantinin-1 peptide, Pandinus imperator; C585568:pantinin-2 peptide, Pandinus imperator; C585569:pantinin-3 peptide, Pandinus imperator