Modular analysis of hipposin, a histone-derived antimicrobial peptide consisting of membrane translocating and membrane permeabilizing fragments.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial peptides continue to garner attention as potential alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Hipposin is a histone-derived antimicrobial peptide (HDAP) previously isolated from Atlantic halibut. Though potent against bacteria, its antibacterial mechanism had not been characterized. The mechanism of this peptide is particularly interesting to consider since the full hipposin sequence contains the sequences of parasin and buforin II (BF2), two other known antimicrobial peptides that act via different antibacterial mechanisms. While parasin kills bacteria by inducing membrane permeabilization, buforin II enters cells without causing significant membrane disruption, harming bacteria through interactions with intracellular nucleic acids. In this study, we used a modular approach t

SUBMITTER: Bustillo ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4082744 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature