Somuncurins: Bioactive Peptides from the Skin of the Endangered Endemic Patagonian Frog Pleurodema somuncurense

Journal of Natural Products
2020.0

Abstract

The skin glands of amphibian species hold a major component of their innate immunity, namely a unique set of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Although most of them have common characteristics, differences in AMP sequences allow a huge repertoire of biological activity with varying degrees of efficacy. We present the first study of the AMPs from <i>Pleurodema somuncurence</i> (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae). Among the 11 identified mature peptides, three presented antimicrobial activity. Somuncurin-1 (FIIWPLRYRK), somuncurin-2 (FILKRSYPQYY), and thaulin-3 (NLVGSLLGGILKK) inhibited <i>Escherichia coli</i> growth. Somuncurin-1 also showed antimicrobial activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>. Biophysical membrane model studies revealed that this peptide had a greater permeation effect in prokaryotic-like membranes and capacity to restructure liposomes, suggesting fusogenic activity, which could lead to cell aggregation and disruption of cell morphology. This study contributes to the characterization of peptides with new sequences to enrich the databases for the design of therapeutic agents. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of investing in nature conservation and the power of genetic description as a strategy to identify new compounds.

Knowledge Graph

Similar Paper

Somuncurins: Bioactive Peptides from the Skin of the Endangered Endemic Patagonian Frog <i>Pleurodema somuncurense</i>
Journal of Natural Products 2020.0
Antimicrobial Peptides from Skin Secretions of <i>Hypsiboas pulchellus</i> (Anura: Hylidae)
Journal of Natural Products 2014.0
Characterization and Biological Activities of Ocellatin Peptides from the Skin Secretion of the Frog <i>Leptodactylus pustulatus</i>
Journal of Natural Products 2015.0
Isolation and Characterization of Pleurocidin, an Antimicrobial Peptide in the Skin Secretions of Winter Flounder
Journal of Biological Chemistry 1997.0
Antimicrobial Peptides from the Skin of a Korean Frog, Rana rugosa
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 1994.0
Magainins, a class of antimicrobial peptides from Xenopus skin: isolation, characterization of two active forms, and partial cDNA sequence of a precursor.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1987.0
Pseudin-2: An Antimicrobial Peptide with Low Hemolytic Activity from the Skin of the Paradoxical Frog
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2001.0
Host Defence Peptides from the Skin Glands of Australian Amphibians. Caerulein Neuropeptides and Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and nNOS Inhibiting Citropins from the Glandular Frog Litoria subglandulosa
Australian Journal of Chemistry 2004.0
<i>De novo</i> sequencing of peptides secreted by the skin glands of the Caucasian Green Frog <i>Rana ridibunda</i>
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 2008.0
Ranatuerins: Antimicrobial Peptides Isolated from the Skin of the American Bullfrog,Rana catesbeiana
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 1998.0