Brevinin-1 Peptides Research Articles

Synergistic Effect of Frog Skin Antimicrobial Peptides in Combination with Antibiotics Against Multi host Gram-Negative Pathogens

In the present study, two brevinin-1 peptides (Brevinin1 HYba1 and 2; B1 and B2 for ease) identified from the skin secretion of the frog Hydrophylax bahuvistara and their analogs (B1A1, B2A1, B1A2, B2A2) were tested against two multi host Gram-negative pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio vulnificus. The combined effect of peptides with known antibiotics (kanamycin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline) was also tested in different pH and serum concentrations. The parent peptides were active against V. vulnificus, but their modified analogs did not improve the activity. In P. aeruginosa, the parent peptides showed weak activity, but their modified analogs showed increased activity. The peptides were found to be hemolytic (18 to 50%). A synergistic interaction was observed when combining the peptides with traditional antibiotics resulted in the 4–25 fold reduction of MICs, which indicates an overall increase in the activity in low doses of both peptides and antibiotics. The parent peptide B2 showed synergy with tetracycline and ciprofloxacin against V. vulnificus. B1A1 and B2A1 showed synergy with all the antibiotics tested against V. vulnificus. B1A2 showed synergy with kanamycin against P. aeruginosa, while B2A2 showed synergistic relation with kanamycin and ciprofloxacin against P. aeruginosa. As a result, the percentage of hemolysis and the time needed for the bacterial killing was reduced notably. The activity was retained in different concentrations of cation, pH, and serum. These findings in the present study also highlight the influence of the modification of natural peptides for improved activity against Gram-negative bacteria and may verify the importance of combinatorial therapy of peptide-antibiotic combinations in the fight against drug-resistant pathogens.

Identification and characterization of novel host defense peptides from the skin secretion of the fungoid frog, Hydrophylax bahuvistara (Anura: Ranidae).

Two novel peptides (brevinin1 HYba1 and brevinin1 HYba2) were identified from the skin secretion of the frog Hydrophylax bahuvistara, endemic to Western Ghats, India, and their amino acid sequences were confirmed using cDNA cloning and LC/MS/MS. Antibacterial, hemolytic, and cytotoxic activities of brevinin1 peptides and their synthetic analogs (amidated C-terminus) were investigated and compared. All the peptides except the acidic forms showed antibacterial activity against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. They exhibited low hemolysis on human erythrocytes and showed potent cytotoxic activity against Hep 3B cancer cell line. Upon amidation, the peptides showed increased activity against the tested microbes without altering their hemolytic and cytotoxic properties. The study also emphasizes the need for screening endemic amphibian fauna of Western Ghats, as a potential source of host defense peptides with possible therapeutic applications in the future.

Characterization of antimicrobial peptides in skin secretions from discrete populations of Lithobates chiricahuensis (Ranidae) from central and southern Arizona

Populations of the Chiricahua leopard frog Lithobates chiricahuensis (Ranidae) occupying regions in southern Arizona (southern range) are morphologically distinct from those from the Mogollon Rim of central Arizona (northern range) and a comparison of DNA sequences of mitochondrial genes has suggested that they may represent separate species. Peptidomic analysis of norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions has led to the identification of six peptides with antimicrobial activity in samples from specimens from both groups. The primary structure of the peptides (esculentin-2CHa, ranatuerin-2CHa, -CHb, and -CHc, and brevinin-1CHa and -CHb) isolated from both southern and northern range frogs are identical consistent with the proposal that the two populations are conspecific. However, palustrin-2CHa and the atypical brevinin-1CHc (FFPTIAG*****LTKLFCA ITKKC), containing a five amino acid residue deletion, were identified only in secretions from southern range specimens. Consequently, there is some support for the proposal that the two populations are closely related but separate species but this support is relatively weak. Esculentin-2CHa (GFSSIFRGVAKFASKGLG KDLAKLGVDLVACKISKQC) displayed the highest antimicrobial potency (MIC ≤ 10 μM) against a variety of microorganisms and was only moderately hemolytic (LC 50 = 150 μM). Cladistic analysis based upon the primary structures of brevinin-1 peptides indicates a close phylogenetic relationship between L. chiricahuensis, L. onca, and L. yavapaiensis.

A potent, non-toxic insulin-releasing peptide isolated from an extract of the skin of the Asian frog, Hylarana guntheri (Anura:Ranidae)

Peptides in extract of the skin of the Asian frog Hylarana guntheri Boulenger,1882 were purified by reversed-phase HPLC and individual components analysed for their ability to release insulin from the rat BRIN-BD11 clonal β cell line. The most potent peptide identified in the extract belonged to the brevinin-2 family (brevinin-2GUb; GVIIDTLKGAAKTVAAELLRKAHCKLTNSC). Other peptides with weaker insulin-releasing activity belonged to the brevinin-1 (2 peptides), brevinin-2 (2 peptides) and temporin (3 peptides) families. Only the brevinin-1 peptides showed cytolytic activity against the BRIN-BD11 cells, as demonstrated by an increased rate of release of the cytosolic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase. A synthetic replicate of brevinin-2GUb produced a significant stimulation of insulin release (139% of basal rate; P < 0.05) at a concentration of 100 nM with a maximum response of 373% of basal rate at a concentration of 3 μM) by a mechanism that did not involve mobilization of intracellular calcium. Brevinin-2GUb also inhibited the growth of microorganisms (MIC against Escherichia coli = 32 μM, Staphylococcus aureus = 64 μM, and Candida albicans = 64 μM) but had only weak hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes (LC 50 = 700 μM). Administration of brevinin-2GUb (75 nmol/kg body weight) into mice significantly ( P < 0.05) improved glucose tolerance following a intraperitoneal injection of glucose, thereby demonstrating that the peptide shows potential for development into a therapeutically valuable agent for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Purification and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretion of Rana dybowskii

Six antimicrobial peptides designated dybowskins were isolated from the skin secretion of Rana dybowskii, an edible frog in Korea. Dybowskin-1 (FLIGMTHGLICLISRKC) and dybowskin-2 (FLIGMTQGLICLITRKC) were isoforms differing in only two amino acid residues at the 7th and 14th positions from the N-terminus, and they showed amino acid sequence similarities with ranalexin peptides. Dybowskin-3 (GLFDVVKGVLKGVGKNVAGSLLEQLKCKLSGGC), dybowskin-4 (VWPLGLVICKALKIC), dybowskin-5 (GLFSVVTGVLKAVGKNVAKNVGGSLLEQLKCKISGGC), and dybowskin-6 (FLPLLLAGLPLKLCFLFKKC) differed in both size and sequence, and they were, in terms of amino acid sequence similarities, related to brevinin-2, japonicin-2, esculentin-2, and brevinin-1 peptides, respectively. All the peptides presented in this paper contained Rana-box, the cyclic heptapeptide domain, which is conserved in other antimicrobial peptides derived from the genus Rana. All the dybowskin peptides showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC), 12.5 to >100 μg/ml) and against Candida albicans (MIC, 25 to >100 μg/ml). Especially, dybowskin-4 with valine at its N-terminus was the most abundant and showed the strongest antimicrobial activity among all the dybowskin peptides. This result indicates that the dybowskin peptides from R. dybowskii, whose main habitats are mountains or forests, have evolved differently from antimicrobial peptides isolated from other Korean frogs, whose habitats are plain fields.

Evidence from peptidomic analysis of skin secretions that the red-legged frogs, Rana aurora draytonii and Rana aurora aurora, are distinct species

The northern red-legged frog Rana aurora aurora and the California red-legged frog Rana aurora draytonii are traditionally classified together in the same species group. Ten peptides with antimicrobial activity were isolated from norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions of R. aurora draytonii and purified to near homogeneity. The peptides were identified as belonging to the ranatuerin-2 family (two peptides), brevinin-1 family (four peptides), temporin family (three peptides), and a novel peptide, RV-23 (RIGVLLARLPKLFSLFKLMGKKV) that has limited structural similarity to the bee venom peptide, melittin. This distribution of peptides contrasts with that found previously in skin secretions from R. aurora aurora collected under the same conditions and at the same time of year (one ranatuerin-2 peptide, two brevinin-1 peptides, and one temporin peptide). The variation in amino acid sequences between corresponding R. aurora draytonii and R. aurora aurora peptides is comparable with the variation in sequences of orthologs from other members of the Amerana group of New World ranid frogs ( Rana boylii, Rana muscosa, and Rana luteiventris). It is proposed, therefore, that the red-legged frogs should be regarded as separate species ( R. aurora and R. draytonii) within the Amerana group rather than conspecific subspecies. The data emphasize that amino acid sequences of antimicrobial peptides in skin secretions may be used to infer taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships between species of ranid frogs.

A family of acyclic brevinin-1 peptides from the skin of the Ryukyu brown frog Rana okinavana

The 24 amino-acid residue antimicrobial peptide, brevinin-1 is synthesized in the skins of a wide range of species of Eurasian and North American frogs belonging to the genus Rana. All previously characterized brevinin-1 peptides contain the cyclic heptapeptide domain Cys 18-(Xaa) 4-Lys-Cys 24 at the COOH-terminus of the molecule. Four structurally related peptides were isolated from an extract of the skin of the Ryukyu brown frog Rana okinavana. The amino acid sequences of the peptides [Phe-(Xaa) 4-Ile-(Xaa) 2-Leu-Ala-Lys-Gly-Leu-Pro-Ser-Leu-Ile-Xaa-Leu-Xaa-Lys-Lys·NH 2] identified them as members of the brevinin-1 family that lacked the COOH-terminal cyclic domain but contained a C-terminally α-amidated residue. It is suggested, as one possibility, that the Cys 18 in the brevinin-1 consensus sequence has been deleted and the Cys 24 residue has mutated to a glycine that acts as substrate for peptidyl-glycine α-amidating monooxygenase. The peptides potently inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus confirming that a cyclic domain is not necessary for antimicrobial activity. A fifth peptide (SFLNFFKGAA 10KNLLAAGLDK 20LKCKISGTQC 30), that also displayed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, was isolated from the skin extract and showed structural similarity with members of the ranatuerin-2 family previously isolated from the skin of North American ranid frogs.