title: Solution structure and functional studies of the highly potent equine antimicrobial peptide DEFA1.
abstract: Defensins are small effector molecules of the innate immune system that are present in almost all organisms including plants and animals. These peptides possess antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microbes including bacteria, fungi and viruses and act as endogenous antibiotics. α-Defensins are a subfamily of the defensin family and their expression is limited to specific tissues. Equine DEFA1 is an enteric α-defensin exclusively secreted by Paneth cells and shows an activity against a broad spectrum of microbes, including typical pathogens of the horse such as Rhodococcus equi, various streptococci strains, Salmonella choleraesuis, and Pasteurella multocida. Here, we report the three-dimensional structure of DEFA1 solved by NMR-spectroscopy and demonstrate its specific function of aggregating various phospholipids.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalek
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Mohammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shomali
authors.affiliation: ANSES, Dozulé Laboratory for Equine Diseases, Bacteriology and Parasitology Unit, 14430 Goustranville, France.
authors.forename: Severine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cauchard
authors.affiliation: Otto Diels Institute of Organic Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Sönnichsen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: jgroetzinger@biochem.uni-kiel.de.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grötzinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C573013:DEFA1 protein, equine; D023084:alpha-Defensins
keywords: Antimicrobial peptides; Defensins; Horse; NMR spectroscopy; Structure