1. Purification, molecular cloning, and antimicrobial activity of peptides from the skin secretion of the black-spotted frog, Rana nigromaculata
Ang Li, Yong Zhang, Che Wang, Geng Wu, Zhenchun Wang World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013 Oct;29(10):1941-9. doi: 10.1007/s11274-013-1360-y. Epub 2013 Apr 30.
Antimicrobial peptides from a wide range of amphibian species, especially frogs of the genus Rana, have been characterised and are potential therapeutic agents. Here we describe the isolation, purification, and structural and biological characterisation of three novel antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretions of the black spotted frog, Rana nigromaculata, from Northeastern China. The peptides were identified as belonging to two known families: the temporin, which was first identified in R. nigromaculata from China, and the brevinin-2. Temporin-1RNa and temporin-1RNb both containing three positive charges and have a high potency against microorganisms (MIC: 3.13-8.3 μM against Gram-positive bacteria, 12.5-25.0 μM against Gram-negative bacteria, and 6.25-12.5 μM against Candida albicans) and a high haemolytic activity against human erythrocytes (HC50: 100-150 μM). Brevinin-2RNa contains a single intra-disulphide bridge at the C-terminus that is active towards the tested Gram-positive bacteria but is not active against E. coli and P. aeruginosa. The cDNAs encoding three novel peptide precursors were also subsequently cloned from an R. nigromaculata skin cDNA library and sequenced. The precursors contain 58-72 amino acid residues, which include a conserved signal peptide, acidic propeptide, and the mature temporin-1RNa, temporin-1RNb and brevinin-2RNa. The CD spectra of temporin-1RNa and temporin-1RNb in water, 30 mM SDS and 50 % trifluoroethanol (TFE) indicated that both peptides adopted an aperiodic structure in water and an organised structure with an α-helical conformation in TFE and SDS solution. The conformational transition induced by TFE or SDS reflects the potential ability of temporin-1RNa and temporin-1RNb to interact with anionic membranes.
2. Purification of peptides with differential cytolytic activities from the skin secretions of the Central American frog, Lithobates vaillanti (Ranidae)
J Michael Conlon, Haider Raza, Laurent Coquet, Thierry Jouenne, Jérôme Leprince, Hubert Vaudry, Jay D King Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2009 Aug;150(2):150-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2009.04.003. Epub 2009 Apr 18.
Peptide-based defenses of ranid frogs from Mexico and Central America have been studied in much less detail than those from North America. Peptides belonging to the brevinin-1 (5 peptides), palustrin-2 (1 peptide), and ranatuerin-2 (3 peptides) families were isolated from norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions of the Costa Rican frog, Lithobates vaillanti (Ranidae) and characterized structurally. Brevinin-1VLa (FLGAIAGVAAKFLPKVFCFITKKC) and brevinin-1VLc (FLPVIASVAAKVLPK VFCFITKKC) showed particularly high growth-inhibitory potency (MIC < or =3 microM) against a Gram-positive microorganism Staphylococcus aureus and the opportunistic yeast pathogen Candida albicans and potent cytolytic activity (LC(50)< or =8 microM) against both human erythrocytes and HepG2 hepatoma-derived cells. The peptides were also active against a Gram-negative microorganism Escherichia coli (MIC< or =50 microM). Substitutions in brevinin-1VLd (Lys(11) --> Asn) and brevinin-1VLe (Lys(11) --> Ser) that decrease cationicity result in loss of activity against E. coli. Ranatuerin-2VLb (GIMDTIKGAAKDLAGQLLDKLKCKITKC) showed relatively weak antimicrobial activity (MIC> or =75 microM) but selective cytolytic activity against HepG2 tumor cells (LC(50)=30 microM) compared with erythrocytes (LC(50)>200 microM). In addition, a dodecapeptide (RICYAMWIPYPC) were isolated from the secretions that were devoid of antimicrobial activity. This component contains an Ala-Met bond that constitutes the scissile bond in the selective elastase inhibitor, elafin but the peptide did not inhibit pancreatic elastase at concentrations up to 100 microM.
3. A family of brevinin-2 peptides with potent activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the skin of the Hokkaido frog, Rana pirica
J Michael Conlon, et al. Regul Pept. 2004 May 15;118(3):135-41. doi: 10.1016/j.regpep.2003.12.003.
Nine peptides displaying varying degrees of antimicrobial activity were extracted from the skin of the Hokkaido frog, Rana pirica. Five structurally related peptides were identified as members of the brevinin-2 family. These peptides were active against reference strains of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Gram-positive (Staphlococcus aureus) bacteria but displayed relatively low hemolytic activity. The most abundant peptide, brevinin-2PRa (680 nmol/g weight of dry skin) showed high potency [minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 6 and 12 microM] against a range of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. In addition, activity was unaffected by NaCl concentrations up to 200 mM. Cladistic analysis based on the primary structures of brevinin-2 peptides supports a close phylogenetic relationship between R. pirica and Japanese mountain brown frog Rana ornativentris. One peptide of the ranatuerin-2 family and one strongly hemolytic peptide of the brevinin-1 family were also isolated from the extract along with two members of the temporin family, temporin-1PRa (ILPILGNLLNGLL.NH(2)) and temporin-1PRb (ILPILGNLLNSLL.NH(2)) that atypically lacked basic amino acid residues and showed only very weak antimicrobial and hemolytic activity.
