title: Identification of a novel antimicrobial peptide, scolopendin 1, derived from centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans and its antifungal mechanism.
abstract: In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide, scolopendin 1, was identified from adult centipedes, Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans using RNA sequencing. Scolopendin 1 exerted an antimicrobial activity without inducing haemolysis of human erythrocytes. In order to understand the antifungal mechanism, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay was performed, which indicated that scolopendin 1 induced ROS accumulation in Candida albicans. Evaluation of fungal viability using N-acetyl cysteine, a ROS scavenger, suggested that ROS are a major factor in scolopendin 1-induced fungal cell death. Co-staining of annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and propidium iodide, and TUNEL and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) assays confirmed that ROS-induced fungal cell death is associated with apoptosis. To further investigate the mechanism that facilitates the progression of apoptosis, changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and mitochondrial dysfunction were examined. Ca(2+) , a signalling molecule in the apoptotic pathway, was increased in the cytosol and mitochondria, and ROS accumulation triggered mitochondrial depolarization and the release of cytochrome c, a pro-apoptotic factor, from the mitochondria to the cytosol. Finally, the released cytochrome c activated intracellular caspase. The present study suggests that scolopendin 1 could emerge as a model molecule that targets the apoptotic pathway and provides a novel remedy.
authors.affiliation: BK 21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: J-S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001181:Arthropods / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D020169:Caspases; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C000599549:scolopendin 1, Scolopendra subspinipes; D020169:Caspases
keywords: RNA sequencing; Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans; antimicrobial peptide; scolopendin 1