title: Lacrain: the first antimicrobial peptide from the body extract of the Brazilian centipede Scolopendra viridicornis.
abstract: Antimicrobial activities have previously been described by traditional Eastern medicine in Chilopoda body extracts, but until now no bioactive peptides have been described. In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide, lacrain, was isolated from the body extract of the Brazilian Chilopoda Scolopendra viridicornis. The peptide was isolated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Its activity was tested using a liquid growth inhibition assay and the peptide was characterised using mass spectrometry. Lacrain has a sequence composed of eight amino acid residues and a molecular mass of 925.5 Da. A synthetic peptide of the native lacrain had identical characteristics to those of the isolated material, confirming its sequence. The synthetic peptide was active only against Gram-negative bacteria, showing strong bactericidal activity. Moreover, the peptide did not present haemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. Lacrain represents a novel molecule with powerful antibacterial activity that could be used as a new template for the development of drugs against clinically resistant bacterial strains.
authors.affiliation: Special Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: relisacha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chaparro
authors.affiliation: Special Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001181:Arthropods / Q000737:chemistry*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001938:Brazil; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D056148:Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008970:Molecular Weight; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D002457:Cell Extracts
keywords: Antimicrobial peptide; Body extract; Centipede; Immune system; Myriapoda; Scolopendra viridicornis