Topic
Antimicrobial peptides
About: Antimicrobial peptides is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 10645 publications have been published within this topic receiving 507688 citations. The topic is also known as: host defense peptide & antimicrobial protein.
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TL;DR: Three distinct antimicrobial peptides are isolated from the hemolymph of unchallenged scorpions of the species Androctonus australis, which are fully characterized by Edman degradation, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass Spectrometry.
210 citations
TL;DR: Results indicate new possibilities for the development of effective human therapeutics based on antimicrobial peptides and partially disclosed the biotechnological potential of these molecules.
209 citations
TL;DR: The high‐resolution X‐ray structures of three human defensins, 4 through 6, supplemented with studies of their antimicrobial and chemotactic properties are presented, finding the strongest cationic properties and unique distribution of charged residues on the molecular surface of HD5 may be associated with its highest bactericidal activity among human α‐defensins.
Abstract: Six alpha-defensins have been found in humans. These small arginine-rich peptides play important roles in various processes related to host defense, being the effectors and regulators of innate immunity as well as enhancers of adoptive immune responses. Four defensins, called neutrophil peptides 1 through 4, are stored primarily in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Major sites of expression of defensins 5 and 6 are Paneth cells of human small intestine. So far, only one structure of human alpha-defensin (HNP3) has been reported, and the properties of the intestine defensins 5 and 6 are particularly poorly understood. In this report, we present the high-resolution X-ray structures of three human defensins, 4 through 6, supplemented with studies of their antimicrobial and chemotactic properties. Despite only modest amino acid sequence identity, all three defensins share their tertiary structures with other known alpha- and beta-defensins. Like HNP3 but in contrast to murine or rabbit alpha-defensins, human defensins 4-6 form characteristic dimers. Whereas antimicrobial and chemotactic activity of HNP4 is somewhat comparable to that of other human neutrophil defensins, neither of the intestinal defensins appears to be chemotactic, and for HD6 also an antimicrobial activity has yet to be observed. The unusual biological inactivity of HD6 may be associated with its structural properties, somewhat standing out when compared with other human alpha-defensins. The strongest cationic properties and unique distribution of charged residues on the molecular surface of HD5 may be associated with its highest bactericidal activity among human alpha-defensins.
209 citations
TL;DR: The mechanisms adopted by two AMPs in disrupting the Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacterial envelope were explored and the hypothesis that surface neutralization occurs close to MIC values was confirmed.
209 citations
TL;DR: The main groups of antimicrobial peptides found in plants are thionins, defensins and lipid transfer proteins, which constitute interesting candidates to engineer disease resistance in plants.
Abstract: Plants are constantly exposed to a large array of pathogenic organisms and the survival in these conditions demands quick defense responses which include the synthesis of defense peptides and proteins with antimicrobial properties. The main groups of antimicrobial peptides found in plants are thionins, defensins and lipid transfer proteins. They constitute interesting candidates to engineer disease resistance in plants.
208 citations