Characterization and Biological Activities of Ocellatin Peptides from the Skin Secretion of the Frog Leptodactylus pustulatus

J Nat Prod. 2015 Jul 24;78(7):1495-504. doi: 10.1021/np500907t. Epub 2015 Jun 24.

Abstract

Eight new peptides were isolated from the skin secretion of the frog Leptodactylus pustulatus and their amino acid sequences determined by de novo sequencing and by cDNA cloning. Structural similarities between them and other antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretion of Leptodactylus genus frogs were found. Ocellatins-PT1 to -PT5 (25 amino acid residues) are amidated at the C-terminus, while ocellatins-PT6 to -PT8 (32 amino acid residues) have free carboxylates. Antimicrobial activity, hemolytic tests, and cytotoxicity against a murine fibroblast cell line were investigated. All peptides, except for ocellatin-PT2, have antimicrobial activity against at least one Gram-negative strain. Ocellatin-PT8 inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella choleraesuis strains with MICs in the 60-240 μM range. No significant effect was observed in human erythrocytes and in a murine fibroblast cell line after exposure to the peptides at MICs. A comparison between sequences obtained by both direct HPLC-MS de novo sequencing and cDNA cloning demonstrates the secretion of mature peptides derived from a pre-pro-peptide structure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / blood
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemistry
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / isolation & purification*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Structure
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Ranidae / genetics
  • Ranidae / metabolism*
  • Salmonella / drug effects
  • Skin / metabolism*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • ocellatin 1 protein, Leptodactylus ocellatus