Eumenitin, a novel antimicrobial peptide from the venom of the solitary eumenine wasp Eumenes rubronotatus

Abstract

A novel antimicrobial peptide, eumenitin, was isolated from the venom of the solitary eumenine wasp Eumenes rubronotatus. The sequence of eumenitin, Leu–Asn–Leu–Lys–Gly–Ile–Phe–Lys–Lys–Val–Ala–Ser–Leu–Leu–Thr, was mostly analyzed by mass spectrometry together with Edman degradation, and corroborated by solid-phase synthesis. This peptide has characteristic features of cationic linear α-helical antimicrobial peptides, and therefore, can be predicted to adopt an amphipathic α-helix secondary structure. In fact, the CD spectra of eumenitin in the presence of TFE or SDS showed a high content of α-helical conformation. Eumenitin exhibited inhibitory activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and moderately stimulated degranulation from the rat peritoneal mast cells and the RBL-2H3 cells, but showed no hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. This antimicrobial peptide in the eumenine wasp venom may play a role in preventing potential infection by microorganisms during prey consumption by their larvae.