Work

Selective arginines are important for the antibacterial activity and host cell interaction of human α‐defensin 5

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: Defensins constitute a major family of natural antimicrobial peptides that protect the host against microbial invasion. Here, we report on the antibacterial properties and cellular interaction of Human Defensin 5 as a function of its positive charge and hydrophobicity. We find that selective replacement of arginine residues in HD-5 by alanine or charge-neutral lysine residues reduces antibacterial killing as well as host cell interaction. We identify arginines at positions 9 and 28 in the HD-5 sequence as particularly important for its function. Replacement of arginine at position 13 to Histidine, as observed in a Crohn's disease patient, reduced bacterial killing strain-selectively. Finally, we find that HD-5 interacts with host cells via receptor-mediated mechanisms.

Source: FEBS Letters

DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.06.051

Authors: Erik de Leeuw, Mohsen Rajabi, Guozhang Zou, Marzena Pazgier, Wuyuan Lu

Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore

Language: English

Topic: Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities

Subfield: Microbiology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases