title: Molecular Characterisation and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Novel Isoform of Hepatic Antimicrobial Peptide, Hepcidin (Zc-hepc1), from the Coral Fish Moorish idol, Zanclus cornutus (Linnaeus, 1758).
abstract: Hepcidin is a family of short cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) participating in various physiological functions with inevitable role in host immune responses. Present study deals with identification and characterisation of a novel hepcidin isoform from coral fish Zanclus cornutus. The 81 amino acid (aa) preprohepcidin obtained from Z. cornutus consists of a hydrophobic aa rich 22 mer signal peptide, a highly variable proregion of 35 aa and a bioactive mature peptide with 8 conserved cysteine residues which contribute to the disulphide back bone. The mature hepcidin, Zc-hepc1 has a theoretical isoelectric point of 7.46, a predicted molecular weight of 2.43 kDa and a net positive charge of +1. Phylogenetic analysis grouped Z. cornutus hepcidin with HAMP2 group hepcidins confirming the divergent evolution of hepcidin-like peptide in fishes. Zc-hepc1 can attain a β-hairpin-like structure with two antiparallel β-sheets. This is the first report of an AMP from the coral fish Z. cornutus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, 682016, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Chaithanya
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, 682016, Kerala, India. rosammap@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rosamma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, 682016, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sathyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, 682016, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Anil Kumar
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, Kochi, 682037, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Sherine Sonia
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cubelio
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, 682016, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Bright Singh
keywords: Antimicrobial peptide; Coral fish; Hepcidin; Innate immunity; Moorish idol; Zanclus cornutus