Molecular cloning and characterization of three beta-defensins from canine testes.

ABSTRACT: Mammalian beta-defensins are small cationic peptides possessing broad antimicrobial and physiological activities. Because dogs are particularly resilient to sexually transmitted diseases, it has been proposed that their antimicrobial peptide repertoire might provide insight into novel antimicrobial therapeutics and treatment regimens. To investigate this proposal, we cloned the full-length cDNA of three canine beta-defensin isoforms (cBD-1, -2, and -3) from canine testicular tissues. Their predicted peptides share identical N-terminal 65-amino-acid residues, including the beta-defensin consensus six-cysteine motif. The two longer isoforms, cBD-2 and -3, possess 4 and 34 additional amino acids, respectively, at the C terminus. To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of cBD, a 34-amino-acid p

SUBMITTER: Sang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1087356 | biostudies-literature | 2005 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature