Isolation and characterization of a new member of the insect defensin family from a beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma

Effects of Edible Insect Powders as Meat Partial Substitute on Physicochemical Properties and Storage Stability of Pork Patties

In this study, physicochemical and antioxidant properties, and storage stability (1, 3, and 7 days) of pork patties added with edible insect powders (EIP) of four species (Larvae of Tenenbrio molitor, Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis, Allomyrina dichotoma, and Gryllus bimaculatus) as meat partial substitutes were investigated. Twenty percent of each EIP was added to pork patties, and four treatments were prepared. On the other hand, two control groups were set, one with 0.1 g of ascorbic acid and the other without anything. Adding EIP decreased water content but increased protein, fat, carbohydrate, and ash contents. In addition, the use of EIP increased the water holding capacity and texture properties as well as decreased the cooking loss. However, the sensory evaluation and storage stability were negatively affected by the addition of EIP. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity had a positive effect on storage stability. It is believed that the addition of EIP resulted in high antioxidants due to the presence of polyphenol compounds in EIP. These results indicate that EIP has great potential to be used as meat partial substitute to improve the quality improvement and antioxidant in pork patties. However, in order to improve storage stability and consumer preference, further research is needed to apply it to patties by reducing the amount of EIP or adding auxiliary ingredients.

The draft genome sequence of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis towards an understanding of horn formation

The Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus is a giant beetle with distinctive exaggerated horns present on the head and prothoracic regions of the male. T. dichotomus has been used as a research model in various fields such as evolutionary developmental biology, ecology, ethology, biomimetics, and drug discovery. In this study, de novo assembly of 615 Mb, representing 80% of the genome estimated by flow cytometry, was obtained using the 10 × Chromium platform. The scaffold N50 length of the genome assembly was 8.02 Mb, with repetitive elements predicted to comprise 49.5% of the assembly. In total, 23,987 protein-coding genes were predicted in the genome. In addition, de novo assembly of the mitochondrial genome yielded a contig of 20,217 bp. We also analyzed the transcriptome by generating 16 RNA-seq libraries from a variety of tissues of both sexes and developmental stages, which allowed us to identify 13 co-expressed gene modules. We focused on the genes related to horn formation and obtained new insights into the evolution of the gene repertoire and sexual dimorphism as exemplified by the sex-specific splicing pattern of the doublesex gene. This genomic information will be an excellent resource for further functional and evolutionary analyses, including the evolutionary origin and genetic regulation of beetle horns and the molecular mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism.

Effect of Probiotics on Tenebrio molitor Larval Development and Resistance against the Fungal Pathogen Metarhizium brunneum

In recent years, the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) has demonstrated its potential as a mass-produced edible insect for food and feed. However, challenges brought on by pathogens in intensive production systems are unavoidable and require the development of new solutions. One potential solution is the supplementation of probiotics in the insect's diet to obtain the double benefits of improved growth and enhanced immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet-based probiotic supplementation on T. molitor larval survival, growth, and resistance against a fungal pathogen. Three probiotic strains, namely Pediococcus pentosacceus KVL-B19-01 isolated from T. molitor and two commercialized strains for traditional livestock, Enterococcus faecium 669 and Bacillus subtilis 597, were tested. Additionally, when larvae were 9 weeks old, a pathogen challenge experiment was conducted with the fungus Metarhizium brunneum. Results showed that both P. pentosaceus and E. faecium improved larval growth and larval survival following fungal exposure compared to the non-supplemented control diet. Since B. subtilis did not improve larval performance in terms of either development or protection against M. brunneum, this study suggests the need for further research and evaluation of probiotic strains and their modes of action when considered as a supplement in T. molitor's diet.

Recent advances in understanding horn formation in the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus using next-generation sequencing technology

The exaggerated horns of beetles are attractive models for studying the origin of novel traits and morphological evolution. Closely related species often differ profoundly in the size, number, and shape of their horns, and in the body region from which they extend. In addition, beetle horns exhibit exquisite nutrition-dependent phenotypic plasticity, leading to disproportionate growth of the horns in the largest, best-condition individuals and much smaller - even stunted - horn sizes in poor-condition individuals. These exciting phenomena in beetle horns have recently been revealed at the molecular level with the advent of next-generation sequencing. This section reviews the latest research on a horned beetle, the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus, whose genome was recently sequenced.

RNA Interference Method for Gene Function Analysis in the Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus

In the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus, various candidate genes required for a specific phenotype of interest are listed by next-generation sequencing analysis. Their functions were investigated using RNA interference (RNAi) method, the only gene function analysis tool for T. dichotomusdeveloped so far. The summarized procedure for the RNAi method used for T. dichotomusis to synthesize double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and inject it in larvae or pupae of T. dichotomus. Although some dedicated materials or equipment are generally required to inject dsRNA in insects, the advantage of the protocol described here is that it is possible to inject dsRNA in T. dichotomuswith one syringe.

Purification and structural characterization of lectin with antibacterial and anticancer properties from grubs of hide beetle, Dermestes frischii

Lectins or haemagglutinins are diverse classes of non-immune proteins; they bind to carbohydrates and are abundant in nature. In the present study, a coleopteran lectin from grubs of hide beetle, Dermestes frischii called DFL, was purified by glutaraldehyde (fixative-agent) fixed hen erythrocytes and characterized further for its functional properties. The purified DFL was stable between pH range 5 to 9 and heat-stable up to 50C. It was insensitive to EDTA and did not require any divalent cations. DFL native molecular mass was approximately 69 kDa with three different polypeptide subunits of 33 (pI ~4.4), 22 (pI ~6) and 14 (pI ~4.4) kDa. Haemagglutinating activity of DFL was highly inhibited by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. DFL partial peptide sequences obtained from peptide mass fingerprinting experiments matched with amino acid sequences of lectins from different organisms confirmed its nature. Biological properties of purified DFL namely antibacterial and bacterial agglutination experiments revealed that DFL have both the effects against laboratory cultures of Aeromonas hydrophila, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and habitat bacterial isolates of Staphylococcus cohnii and Bacillus cereus. In addition, the DFL exhibited substantial anticancer properties against HeLa cells. These results concluded that purified DFL could serve as a potent therapeutic agent for various biomedical applications.

Structural and functional characterizations and heterogenous expression of the antimicrobial peptides, Hidefensins, from black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.)

Insect defensins are effector components of the innate defense system. Defensins, which are widely distributed among insects, are a type of small cysteine-rich plant antimicrobial peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Here, the cDNAs of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.), encoding six defensins, designated herein as Hidefensin1-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Moreover, Hidefensin1-1, 2, and 5 were identified for the first time by genome-targeted analysis. These Hidefensins were found to mainly adopt α-helix and β-sheet conformation homology as modeled by PRABI, Swiss-Model and ProFunc server. Six conserved cysteine residues that contribute to three disulfide bonds formed the spacing pattern "C-X₁₂-C-X₃-C-X₉-C-X₅-C-X-C", which play a vital role in the molecular stability of Hidefensins. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the homology of five Hidefensins (except Hidefensin4) was about 59%-92% compared with other insect defensins, indicating that they are novel antimicrobial peptides genes in black soldier fly. Furthermore, the Hidefensin1-1 was expressed in the Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3) as a fusion protein with thioredoxin. Results showed that the purified TRX-Hidefensin1-1 exerted strong inhibitory effects against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. The inhibitory efficacy of TRX-Hidefensin1-1 against Gram-positive bacteria was better than that against Gram-negative bacteria. These results indicated that Hidefensin1-1 has potent antimicrobial activities against test pathogens.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of AF-13, an Antioxidant Compound Isolated from the Polar Fraction of Allomyrina dichotoma Larva, in Palmitate-Induced INS-1 Cells

This study was conducted to evaluate the fractions isolated from Allomyrina dichotoma larva extract (ADLE) that exhibited anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects. A total of 13 fractions were eluted from ADLE by centrifugal chromatography (CPC), and the polar AF-13 fraction was selected, which exerted a relatively protective effect against fat-induced toxicity in INS-1 cells. AF-13 treatment of palmitate-treated INS-1 cells decreased the expression level of apoptosis-related proteins and DNA fragmentation. AF-13 also significantly inhibited the production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species and the triglyceride content induced by palmitate, and the effect was found to be similar to that with ADLE treatment. Palmitate upregulated the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) through the activation of NF-κB p65; however, this effect was significantly attenuated by AF-13 treatment. In conclusion, AF-13 is one of the major components of ADLE responsible for anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory activities.

Drug Discovery Insights from Medicinal Beetles in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was the primary source of medical treatment for the people inhabiting East Asia for thousands of years. These ancient practices have incorporated a wide variety of materia medica including plants, animals and minerals. As modern sciences, including natural products chemistry, emerged, there became increasing efforts to explore the chemistry of this materia medica to find molecules responsible for their traditional use. Insects, including beetles have played an important role in TCM. In our survey of texts and review articles on TCM materia medica, we found 48 species of beetles from 34 genera in 14 different families that are used in TCM. This review covers the chemistry known from the beetles used in TCM, or in cases where a species used in these practices has not been chemically studied, we discuss the chemistry of closely related beetles. We also found several documented uses of beetles in Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), and included them where appropriate. There are 129 chemical constituents of beetles discussed.

Phylogeny and biogeography of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus dichotomus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) based on SNP markers

The Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus is one of the largest beetle species in the world and is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Ten subspecies of T. dichotomus and a related Trypoxylus species (T. kanamorii) have been described throughout Asia, but their taxonomic delimitations remain problematic. To clarify issues such as taxonomy, and the degree of genetic differentiation of Trypoxylus populations, we investigated the genetic structure, genetic variability, and phylogeography of 53 specimens of Trypoxylus species from 44 locations in five Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Myanmar). Using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) techniques, we developed 330,799 SLAFs over 114.16M reads, in turn yielding 46,939 high-resolution single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for genotyping. Phylogenetic analysis of SNPs indicated the presence of three distinct genetic groups, suggesting that the various subspecies could be treated as three groups of populations. PCA and ADMIXTURE analysis also identified three genetic clusters (North, South, West), which corresponded to their locations, suggesting that geographic factors were important in maintaining within population homogeneity and between population divergence. Analyses of SNP data confirmed the monophyly of certain subspecies on islands, while other subspecies (e.g., T. d. septentrionalis) were found to be polyphyletic and nested in more than one lineage. AMOVA demonstrated high level of differentiation among populations/groups. Also, pairwise F ST values revealed high differentiation, particularly between South and West, as well as between North and South. Despite the differentiation, measurable gene flow was inferred between genetic clusters but at varying rates and directions. Our study demonstrated that SLAF-seq derived markers outperformed 16S and COII sequences and provided improved resolution of the genetic differentiation of rhinoceros beetle populations from a large part of the species' range.

Allomyrina dichotoma Larva Extract Ameliorates the Hepatic Insulin Resistance of High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Mice

Allomyrina dichotoma larva is a nutritional-worthy future food resource and it contributes to multiple pharmacological functions. However, its antidiabetic effect and molecular mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the hypolipidemic effect of A. dichotoma larva extract (ADLE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced C57BL/6J mice model. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD-induced diabetic mice significantly improved after ADLE administration for six weeks. The levels of serum triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT) activity, and lipid accumulation were increased in the liver of HFD-fed mice, but the levels were significantly reduced by the ADLE treatment. Moreover, hepatic fibrosis and inflammatory gene expression in the liver from HFD-treated mice were ameliorated by the ADLE treatment. Dephosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by palmitate was inhibited in the ADLE treated HepG2 cells, and subsequently reduced expression of lipogenic genes, such as SREPBP-1c, ACC, and FAS were observed. The reduced expression of lipogenic genes and an increased phosphorylation of AMPK was also observed in the liver from diabetic mice treated with ADLE. In conclusion, ADLE ameliorates hyperlipidemia through inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis via activating the AMPK signaling pathway. These findings suggest that ADLE and its constituent bioactive compounds are valuable to prevent or treat hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes.

Larval hemolymph of rhinoceros beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma, enhances insulin secretion through ATF3 gene expression in INS-1 pancreatic β-cells

In this study, we show that INS-1 pancreatic β-cells treated for 2 h with hemolymph of larvae of rhinoceros beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma, secreted about twice as much insulin compared to control cells without such treatment. Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) was the highest upregulated gene in DNA chip analysis. The A. dichotoma hemolymph dose-dependently induced increased expression levels of genes encoding ATF3 and insulin. Conversely, treatment with ATF3 siRNA inhibited expression levels of both genes and curbed insulin secretion. These results suggest that the A. dichotoma hemolymph has potential for treating and preventing diabetes or diabetes-related complications.

Identification and characterization of novel cecropins from the Oxysternon conspicillatum neotropic dung beetle

Dung beetles are exposed to a complex microbiological ecosystem during their life cycle. Characterization of novel host-defense peptides (HDP) is essential to understanding the host innate immune response in insects. It constitutes a promising alternative to look for new therapeutic agents against pathogenic microbes. We identified four new HDP, Oxysterlins 1, 2, 3, and 4 from the transcriptome of the Oxysternon conspicillatum dung beetle. These HDP display a highly conserved signal peptide and a mature peptide, characterized by an overall positive charge (cationic) (pI: 10.23–11.49), a hydrophobic ratio (ΦH: 35–41), and amphipathicity. Oxysterlins 1, 2, and 3 have a linear α-helix structure, whilst Oxysterlin 4 has a mixture of both α-helix and β-sheet structures without disulfide bonds through bioinformatics prediction and circular dichroism. Oxysterlins are part of the cecropin family group in an exclusive clade related to beetle cecropins. They have predominant antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug resistant strains (3.12–50 μg/mL) measured by plate microdilution. Their kinetics, in a time-killing curve showed concentration-dependent bactericidal activity. Furthermore, these HDP have low toxicity against human erythrocytes (62.5–500 μg/mL) and Vero cells (250–500 μg/mL). This article describes new HDP of the cecropin family from the Oxysternon conspicillatum dung beetle, with antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant bacteria and low toxicity.

Structure-Activity Relationships of Insect Defensins

Insects make up the largest and most diverse group of organisms on earth with several million species to exist in total. Considering the sheer number of insect species and the vast variety of ways they interact with their environment through chemistry, it is clear that they have significant potential as a source of new lead molecules. They have adapted to a range of ecological habitats and exhibit a symbiotic lifestyle with various microbes such as bacteria and fungi. Accordingly, numerous antimicrobial compounds have been identified including for example defensin peptides. Insect defensins were found to have broad-spectrum activity against various gram-positive/negative bacteria as well as fungi. They exhibit a unique structural topology involving the complex arrangement of three disulfide bonds as well as an alpha helix and beta sheets, which is known as cysteine-stabilized αβ motif. Their stability and amenability to peptide engineering make them promising candidates for the development of novel antibiotics lead molecules. This review highlights the current knowledge regarding the structure-activity relationships of insect defensin peptides and provides basis for future studies focusing on the rational design of novel cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides.

Intraventricular administration of Tenebrio molitor larvae extract regulates food intake and body weight in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity

We recently reported the in vitro and in vivo antiobesity effects of Tenebrio molitor larvae, a traditional food in many countries, but it remains unknown how the larvae affect appetite regulation in mice with diet-induced obesity. We hypothesized that the extract of T molitor larvae mediates appetite by regulating neuropeptide expression. We investigated T molitor larvae extract's (TME's) effects on anorexigenesis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced orexigenic neuropeptide expression in the hypothalami of obese mice. Intracerebroventricular TME administration suppressed feeding by down-regulating the expression of the orexigenic neuropeptides neuropeptide Y and agouti-related protein. T molitor larvae extract significantly reduced the expression of ER stress response genes. These results suggest that TME and its bioactive components are potential therapeutics for obesity and ER stress-driven disease states.

Tenebrio molitor Larvae Inhibit Adipogenesis through AMPK and MAPKs Signaling in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and Obesity in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Despite the increasing interest in insect-based bioactive products, the biological activities of these products are rarely studied adequately. Larvae of Tenebrio molitor, the yellow mealworm, have been eaten as a traditional food and provide many health benefits. Therefore, we hypothesized that T. molitor larvae might influence adipogenesis and obesity-related disorders. In the present study, we investigated the anti-adipogenic and antiobesity effects of T. molitor larvae in vitro and in vivo. The lipid accumulation and triglyceride content in mature adipocytes was reduced significantly (up to 90%) upon exposure to an ethanol extract of T. molitor larvae, without a reduction in cell viability. Exposure also resulted in key adipogenic and lipogenic transcription factors. Additionally, in adipogenic differentiation medium the extract induced phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinases. Daily oral administration of T. molitor larvae powder to obese mice fed high-fat diet attenuated body weight gain. We also found that the powder efficiently reduced hepatic steatosis as well as aspartate and alanine transaminase enzyme levels in mice fed a high-fat diet. Our results suggest that T. molitor larvae extract has an antiobesity effect when administered as a food supplement and has potential as a therapeutic agent for obesity.

Establishing a reference array for the CS-αβ superfamily of defensive peptides

BACKGROUND

"Invertebrate defensins" belong to the cysteine-stabilized alpha-beta (CS-αβ), also known as the scorpion toxin-like, superfamily. Some other peptides belonging to this superfamily of defensive peptides are indistinguishable from "defensins," but have been assigned other names, making it unclear what, if any, criteria must be met to qualify as an "invertebrate defensin." In addition, there are other groups of defensins in invertebrates and vertebrates that are considered to be evolutionarily unrelated to those in the CS-αβ superfamily. This complicates analyses and discussions of this peptide group. This paper investigates the criteria for classifying a peptide as an invertebrate defensin, suggests a reference cysteine array that may be helpful in discussing peptides in this superfamily, and proposes that the superfamily (rather than the name "defensin") is the appropriate context for studying the evolution of invertebrate defensins with the CS-αβ fold.

METHODS

CS-αβ superfamily sequences were identified from previous literature and BLAST searches of public databases. Sequences were retrieved from databases, and the relevant motifs were identified and used to create a conceptual alignment to a ten-cysteine reference array. Amino acid sequences were aligned in MEGA6 with manual adjustments to ensure accurate alignment of cysteines. Phylogenetic analyses were performed in MEGA6 (maximum likelihood) and MrBayes (Bayesian).

RESULTS

Across invertebrate taxa, the term "defensin" is not consistently applied based on number of cysteines, cysteine spacing pattern, spectrum of antimicrobial activity, or phylogenetic relationship. The analyses failed to reveal any criteria that unify "invertebrate defensins" and differentiate them from other defensive peptides in the CS-αβ superfamily. Sequences from various groups within the CS-αβ superfamily of defensive peptides can be described by a ten-cysteine reference array that aligns their defining structural motifs.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed ten-cysteine reference array can be used in addition to current nomenclature to compare sequences in the CS-αβ superfamily and clarify their features relative to one another. This will facilitate analysis and discussion of "invertebrate defensins" in an appropriate evolutionary context, rather than relying on nomenclature.

Activity of tick antimicrobial peptide from Ixodes persulcatus (persulcatusin) against cell membranes of drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Persulcatusin (IP), which is an antimicrobial peptide found in Ixodes persulcatus midgut, is active against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Multidrug-resistant bacteria in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) are a worldwide clinical concern. In the present study, to explore the potential of IP as a new agent against multidrug-resistant S. aureus infections, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of IP against multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains by MIC₉₀, morphological observation with scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the calcein leakage assay of membrane integrity. Among the six antimicrobial peptides used in this study, IP exhibited the lowest MIC₉₀ values for both vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant S. aureus strains. The IP MIC₉₀ against a VISA strain was equivalent to vancomycin, while the MIC₉₀ against VRSA was relatively low. SEM observations indicated that bacterial cells exposed to IP were crumpled and showed prominent structural changes. Moreover, IP influenced the cell membranes of both MRSA and VRSA in a mere 5 min, leading to leakage of the preloaded calcein. Although a VISA strain was resistant to the action of IP on cell membrane, the MIC₉₀ of IP was lower than that of Nisin, suggesting that IP had another bactericidal mechanism in addition to cell membrane attack. Our results indicate that the synthetic tick antimicrobial peptide, IP exhibits strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains, including VRSA, via both cell membrane attack and another unknown mechanism. IP represents a promising candidate for a new anti-VRSA therapy.

Allomyrina Dichotoma Larvae Regulate Food Intake and Body Weight in High Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice Through mTOR and Mapk Signaling Pathways

Recent evidence has suggested that the Korean horn beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma) has anti-hepatofibrotic, anti-neoplastic, and antibiotic effects and is recognized as a traditional medicine. In our previous works, Allomyrina dichotoma larvae (ADL) inhibited differentiation of adipocytes both in vitro and in vivo. However, the anorexigenic and endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress-reducing effects of ADL in obesity has not been examined. In this study, we investigated the anorexigenic and ER stress-reducing effects of ADL in the hypothalamus of diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of ethanol extract of ADL (ADE) suggested that an antagonizing effect on ghrelin-induced feeding behavior through the mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways. Especially, ADE resulted in strong reduction of ER stress both in vitro and in vivo. These findings strongly suggest that ADE and its constituent bioactive compounds are available and valuable to use for treatment of various diseases driven by prolonged ER stress.

Purification and characterization of a novel antibacterial peptide from black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae

In this study, we induced and purified a novel antimicrobial peptide exhibiting activity against Gram-positive bacteria from the immunized hemolymph of Hermetia illucens larvae. The immunized hemolymph was extracted, and the novel defensin-like peptide 4 (DLP4) was purified using solid-phase extraction and reverse-phase chromatography. The purified DLP4 demonstrated a molecular weight of 4267 Da, as determined using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) method. From analysis of DLP4 by N-terminal amino acid sequencing using Edman degradation, combined with MALDI-TOF and rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR), the amino acid sequence of the mature peptide was determined to be ATCDLLSPFKVGHAACAAHCIARGKRGGWCDKRAVCNCRK. In NCBI BLAST, the amino acid sequence of DPL4 was found to be 75% identical to the Phlebotomus duboscqi defensin. Analysis of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) revealed that DLP4 have antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The expression of DLP4 transcripts in several tissues after bacterial challenge was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of the DLP4 gene hardly occurred throughout the body before immunization, but was mostly evident in the fat body after immunization.

Anti-prion activity found in beetle grub hemolymph of Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis

No remedies for prion disease have been established, and the conversion of normal to abnormal prion protein, a key event in prion disease, is still unclear. Here we found that substances in beetle grub hemolymph, after they were browned by aging for a month or heating for hours, reduced abnormal prion protein (PrP) levels in RML prion-infected cells. Active anti-prion components in the hemolymph were resistant to protease treatment and had molecular weights larger than 100 kDa. Aminoguanidine treatment of the hemolymph abolished its anti-prion activity, suggesting that Maillard reaction products are enrolled in the activity against the RML prion. However, levels of abnormal PrP in RML prion-infected cells were not decreased by incubation with the Maillard reaction products formed by amino acids or bovine serum albumin. The anti-prion components in the hemolymph modified neither cellular or cell-surface PrP levels nor lipid raft or autophagosome levels. The anti-prion activity was not observed in cells infected with 22 L prion or Fukuoka-1 prion, suggesting the anti-prion action is prion strain-dependent. Although the active components of the hemolymph need to be further evaluated, the present findings imply that certain specific chemical structures in the hemolymph, but not chemical structures common to all Maillard reaction products, are involved in RML prion formation or turnover, without modifying normal PrP expression. The anti-prion components in the hemolymph are a new tool for elucidating strain-dependent prion biology.

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Mechanism of prion formation is still unclear in prion-infected cells.

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Browned beetle-grub hemolymph has a prion strain-dependent anti-prion activity.

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Anti-prion activity of the hemolymph is abolished by a Maillard reaction inhibitor.

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No anti-prion activity is observed in other Maillard reaction products.

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Browned hemolymph is a new tool for elucidating strain-dependent prion biology.

Subchronic Oral Dose Toxicity of Freeze-dried Powder of Allomyrina dichotoma Larvae

The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicological information of freeze-dried powder from Allomyrina dichotoma (A. dichotoma) larvae as a food ingredient. The powder, suspended in distilled water, was administered once daily by oral gavage to four groups of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0 (vehicle control), 250, 850, and 2500 mg/kg/day. After 13 wks of repeated administration, the standard toxicological parameters such as mortality, clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmologic examination, clinical pathology, organ weights and macro/microscopic examination were applied for assessment of general toxicity. In addition, serum IgE and histamine levels were determined to evaluate allergenicity. The freeze-dried powder from A. dichotoma larvae did not produce treatmentrelated changes or findings in any toxicological parameters in either sex of any dosed groups except for slight increases in serum histamine levels at 2500 mg/kg/day. The changes were considered not to be adverse since the magnitude was minimal. In conclusion, the NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) of the freeze-dried powder from A. dichotoma larvae was determined to be 2500 mg/kg/day or more in both sexes of SD rats and it is considered a candidate to be edible material.

Allomyrina dichotoma (Arthropoda: Insecta) larvae confer resistance to obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet

To clarify the anti-obesity effect of Allomyrina dichotoma larvae (ADL), we previously reported that ADL block adipocyte differentiation on 3T3-L1 cell lines through downregulation of transcription factors, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARG) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α (CEBPA). In this study, we tested whether ADL prevent obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and further investigated the mechanism underlying the effects of ADL. All mice were maintained on a normal-fat diet (NFD) for 1 week and then assigned to one of five treatment groups: (1) NFD; (2) HFD; (3) HFD and 100 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) ADL; (4) HFD and 3000 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) ADL; or (5) HFD and 3000 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis, positive control). ADL and yerba mate were administered orally daily. Mice were fed experimental diets and body weight was monitored weekly for 6 weeks. Our results indicated that ADL reduced body weight gain, organ weight and adipose tissue volume in a dose-dependent manner. Body weight gain was approximately 22.4% lower compared to mice fed only HFD, but the difference did not reach the level of statistical significance. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed that gene expression levels of PPARG, CEBPA and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in the epididymal fat tissue of HFD-fed mice receiving 3000 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) ADL were reduced by 12.4-, 25.7-, and 12.3-fold, respectively, compared to mice fed HFD only. Moreover, mice administered ADL had lower serum levels of triglycerides and leptin than HFD-fed mice that did not receive ADL. Taken together our results suggest that ADL and its constituent bioactive compounds hold potential for the treatment and prevention of obesity.

Anti-angiogenesis activities of novel peptide complexes: mitochondria-disruptive 9mer peptides conjugated with the integrin alpha V beta 3-homing cyclic RGD motif

RGD peptides are popular drug delivery tools in treating integrin αVβ3-expressing malignant tumors and tumor vasculature cells. We investigated the specific delivery and pharmacological potential of enantiomeric mitochondria-disruptive peptides (RLYLRIGRR-NH(2), RLRLRIGRR-NH(2), ALYLAIRRR-NH(2), and RLLLRIGRR-NH(2)) after conjugation with an integrin αVβ3-homing peptide, cyclic pentameric RGD peptide. The cyclic RGD-conjugated mitochondria-disruptive peptides exhibited specific internalization, apoptosis induction, and cytotoxicity against integrin αVβ3-high-expressing human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Our findings indicate that these novel peptide complexes might prove good anti-angiogenesis reagents.

Insight into the antimicrobial activities of coprisin isolated from the dung beetle, Copris tripartitus, revealed by structure-activity relationships

The novel 43-residue, insect defensin-like peptide coprisin, isolated from the dung beetle, Copris tripartitus, is a potent antibiotic with bacterial cell selectivity, exhibiting antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria without exerting hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. Tests against Staphylococcus aureus using fluorescent dye leakage and depolarization measurements showed that coprisin targets the bacterial cell membrane. To understand structure-activity relationships, we determined the three-dimensional structure of coprisin in aqueous solution by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which showed that coprisin has an amphipathic α-helical structure from Ala(19) to Arg(28), and β-sheets from Gly(31) to Gln(35) and Val(38) to Arg(42). Coprisin has electropositive regions formed by Arg(28), Lys(29), Lys(30), and Arg(42) and ITC results proved that coprisin and LPS have electrostatically driven interactions. Using measurements of nitric oxide release and inflammatory cytokine production, we provide the first verification of the anti-inflammatory activity and associated mechanism of an insect defensin, demonstrating that the anti-inflammatory actions of the defensin-like peptide, coprisin, are initiated by suppressing the binding of LPS to toll-like receptor 4, and subsequently inhibiting the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear translocation of NF-kB. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that an amphipathic helix and an electropositive surface in coprisin may play important roles in its effective interaction with bacterial cell membranes and, ultimately, in its high antibacterial activity and potent anti-inflammatory activity. In addition to elucidating the antimicrobial action of coprisin, this work may provide insight into the mechanism of action of insect defense systems.

Anti-proliferative effect of an analogue of the LL-37 peptide in the colon cancer derived cell line HCT116 p53+/+ and p53-/-

Antimicrobial peptides of the cathelicidin family are found in many mammalian species, and are focused on various effects other than antimicrobial action. In this study, we evaluated the anti-proliferative effect of an analogue peptide, FF/CAP18, derived from an endogenous cathelicidin family member against the colon cancer cell line HCT116. FF/CAP18 significantly decreased the proliferation of HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent fashion. Furthermore, the treatment of HCT116 with FF/CAP18 caused loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and resulted in the immunoreactivity to the single-strand DNA antibody, suggesting the early stage of apoptosis. Interestingly, the anti-proliferative effect of FF/CAP18 was constant regardless of the genotype of p53 (wild-type and p53 mutant type HCT116 cells). Therefore, the signaling pathway of p53 is not involved in the growth suppression effect of the cathelicidin analogue peptide. These results indicate that the treatment of certain types of cancer cells with FF/CAP18 may increase the sensitivity of the chemotherapeutic reagents, which might relate to the reduction of the side effects.

Antioxidant activity of aqueous methanol extracts of Protaetia brevitarsis Lewis (Coleoptera: Scarabaedia) at different growth stages

In this study, we evaluate the antioxidant properties of the various extracts of Protaetia brevitarsis Lewis (Coleoptera: Scarabaedia) at different growth stages. The antioxidant activities of six different extracts from larvae, pupae and imago were measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂ ). The larval methanol extracts (LME) and imago methanol extracts (IME) displayed the greatest effect in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay, but the activity of water extracts was weaker in the all tested assays. However, LME and IME could be compared to ascorbic acid in ¹O₂ quenching ability (the effective concentrations of 50% ¹O₂ quenching: EC₅₀ 0.174, 0.149 and 0.177 mg mL⁻¹, respectively). The antioxidant ability of the extracts to scavenge free radicals could significantly change the contents of gallic acid equivalent, an important factor based on the value of R². The results suggest that our study may contribute to the development of new bioactive products with potential applications to reduce oxidative stress as well as play a vital role in protecting insect organisms against oxidative damage caused by undesirable conditions.

Antioxidant activity of various solvent extracts from Allomyrina dichotoma (Arthropoda: Insecta) larvae

This study was under taken to evaluate the antioxidant properties of larvae extracts of Allomyrina dichotoma. The antioxidant activities of various larvae extracts of water, methanol, ethyl-acetate, chloroform, and hexane were measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anion radical and singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). The methanolic larvae extracts displayed the greatest effect in DPPH radical scavenging assay, but the reducing activity of larvae extracts was weaker in the superoxide anion radical assay. However, methanol (ME) and chloroform extracts (CE) could be compared to ascorbic acid in (1)O(2) quenching ability. ME (the concentration of 50% (1)O(2) quenching, QC(50)=0.080mg/ml) and CE (QC(50)=0.051mg/ml) extracts had 1.7, 2.7 times better efficiency than ascorbic acid (QC(50)=0.138mg/ml), respectively. Also the extracts were found to protect biological systems in Escherichia coli and lactate dehydrogenase against detrimental effects of (1)O(2) of type II photosensitization in vitro. The ability of larvae extracts to scavenge free radicals could significantly change contents of GA equivalent, an important factor for the potency of antioxidant capacity. The results suggest that our study may contribute to the development of new bioactive products with potential applications to reduce oxidative stress in living organisms involving reactive oxygen species as well as play a vital role in insect organisms against oxidative damage of undesirable conditions.

Characteristics of novel insect defensin-based membrane-disrupting trypanocidal peptides

Synthetic D- and L-amino acid type cationic 9-mer peptides (all sequences were synthesized as D- or L-amino acids) derived from the active sites of insect defensins were tested for their ability to modify the growth of blood-stream form African trypanosomes in vitro. One of them, the D-type peptide A (RLYLRIGRR-NH(2)), irreversibly suppressed proliferation of the Trypanosoma brucei brucei GUTat3.1 parasite. The presence of negatively charged phosphatidylserine on the surface of the parasites was demonstrated, suggesting electrostatic interaction between the peptide and the phospholipids. Furthermore, this peptide was found to alter trypanosome membrane-potentials significantly, an effect apparently due to the removal of the parasite's plasma membrane. The potential toxic effects of D-peptide A on mammalian cells was assessed using human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Only minor effects were found when the endothelial cells were exposed for 16 h to peptide concentrations of less than 200 microM. These findings suggest that insect defensin-based peptides represent a potentially new class of membrane-disrupting trypanocidal drugs.

Selective cancer cell cytotoxicity of enantiomeric 9-mer peptides derived from beetle defensins depends on negatively charged phosphatidylserine on the cell surface

Four enantiomeric 9-mer peptides named d-peptide A, B, C and D were designed and synthesized on the basis of 43-mer insect defensins from two beetles. The d-9-mer peptides maintained bacterial membrane disruptive activity similar to the original peptides and also showed various extents of growth inhibitory activity against different cancer cell lines. Of these peptides, d-peptide B exhibited the highest selective cancer cell cytotoxicity against the mouse myeloma cell line, P3-X63-Ag8.653. Flow cytometric and scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed d-peptide B disrupts mouse myeloma membrane construction, whereas no cytotoxic effect on normal leukocytes was observed. Moreover, a strong correlation between negatively charged phosphatidylserine (PS) density in cancer cell membrane surface and sensitivity to d-9-mer peptides were observed in various cancer cell lines. These results suggest that d-9-mer peptides have negative charge-dependent selective cancer cell cytotoxicity targeting PS in the cancer cell membrane. In addition, synergic growth inhibitory activity against mouse myeloma was observed in combinations of d-peptide B and dexamethasone. These results suggest d-9-mer peptides are promising candidates for novel anticancer drugs.

Cytotoxicity and antigenicity of antimicrobial synthesized peptides derived from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma defensin in mice

Synthetic peptides, peptides A (Arg-Leu-Tyr-Leu-Arg-Ile-Gly-Arg-Arg-NH(2)) and B (Arg-Leu-Arg-Leu-Arg-Ile-Gly-Arg-Arg-NH(2)), derived from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma defensin, have antimicrobial activities. Immunotoxicological effect of these peptides was evaluated by cytotoxicity of mouse peritoneal macrophages. In addition, antigenicity of these peptides was studied by evaluating antibody responses in mice immunized with these peptides. The toxicity of peptide A toward mouse peritoneal cells was less than that of polymyxin B, when morphologically evaluated in a cytotoxicity test. Almost all of mice injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with either peptide A or B at 50-150 mg/kg survived, whereas all mice injected i.p. with polymyxin B at the doses of more than 25 mg/kg died within 24 h. Interestingly, almost all of mice injected intravenously with these peptides at the doses of 10 and 25 mg/kg also survived. Furthermore, mice immunized with these peptides conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) showed little or negligible anti-peptide A or B antibody production, although anti-KLH antibody was significantly produced. The results indicated that peptides A and B were less cytotoxic than polymyxin B and also had poor antigenicity to produce specific antibody in mice.

Therapeutic effect of modified oligopeptides from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in mice

Anti-bacterial activity of two synthesized oligopeptides, RLYLRIGRR-NH2 (peptide A) and RLRLRIGRR-NH2 (peptide B), both which based on a putative active site of defensin, an anti-bacterial peptide from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma, was examined by macroscopic and histopathologic assessment during the course of infection in mice inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vivo. Both peptides A and B decreased the mortality of mice inoculated with MRSA. Peptides A and B decreased the macroscopical and histopathological lesions by MRSA infection in mice even seven days after the challenge. The anti-bacterial activity of peptides A and B has a therapeutic effect on MRSA infection in mice even seven days after being challenged.

Deletion of two C-terminal Gln residues of 12-26-residue fragment of melittin improves its antimicrobial activity

In our previous paper it was shown that the two C-terminal Gln residues of a C-terminal 15-residue fragment, Mel(12-26) (GLPALISWIKRKRQQ-NH2), of melittin and a series of individual substituted analogues might not involved in the interaction with bacterial membranes. In this paper, peptides with one and two Gln residues deletion, respectively, Mel(12-25) and Mel(12-24), were synthesized and characterized. Both of the deletion peptides showed higher antimicrobial activities than the parent peptide, Mel(12-26). If both of the Gln residues of Mel(12-26) were respectively replaced by a hydrophilic amino acid Gly, the antimicrobial activity increased slightly. If the Gln residue of Mel(12-25) was replaced by a hydrophobic amino acid Leu, the antimicrobial activity changed little, although the substituted peptide possessed much higher hydrophobicity and higher alpha-helical conformation percentage in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol/water determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) than the parent peptide. These results indicated that the two C-terminal residues might be indeed not involved in the binding to bacterial membranes. The antimicrobial activity increasing with the residue deletion may be caused by the decrease of the translational and rotational entropic cost of the binding of the peptides to bacterial membranes because of the lower molecular weights of the deletion peptides.

Effect of modified oligopeptides from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma on Escherichia coli infection in mice

The novel peptides based on a putative active site of defensin, an anti-bacterial peptide from the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma, were synthesized. These synthetic oligopeptides exhibited strong anti-bacterial activity in vitro, even against antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Then, anti-bacterial activity of two newly synthesized peptides, RLYLRIGRR-NH(2) (peptide A) and RLRLRIGRR-NH(2) (peptide B) was also examined by macroscopic and histopathologic assessment during the course of infection in mice inoculated with antibiotic-resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) in vivo. Peptide B decreased the mortality of mice inoculated with antibiotic-resistant pathogenic E. coli. The results of macroscopic and histopathologic examinations revealed that peptide B could protect the mice from infection. In contrast, peptide A failed to protect mice from infection with antibiotic-resistant pathogenic E. coli. Also, modified peptides A and B produced no toxicity or side effects in mice. These results suggest that peptide B is useful for developing novel antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria.

Purification, cDNA cloning and expression of an insect defensin from the great wax moth, Galleria mellonella

An insect defensin, named Galleria defensin, was purified from the larval haemolymph of Galleria mellonella immunized against E. coli. The peptide was composed of forty-three amino acid residues containing six cysteines that might be engaged in intramolecular disulphide bridges. The primary structure of Galleria defensin shared about 90.7% identity to that of heliomicin, which was an insect defensin isolated from Heliothis virescens. The full-length cDNA encoding Galleria defensin was cloned from the fat body of the immunized G. mellonella larvae. Northern blot analysis revealed that Galleria defensin was expressed not only in the fat body but also in the midgut against invading bacteria into haemocoel. This is the first report presenting cDNA and expression of an insect defensin in the lepidopteran species.

In vitro and in vivo activity of antimicrobial peptides synthesized based on the insect defensin

Synthetic antimicrobial 9-mer peptides were designed from the amino acid sequence of an active site of insect defensin to increase the number of positively charged amino acid residues. These peptides, RLRLRIGRR-NH2, RLLLRIGRR-NH2 and RLYLRIGRR-NH2, showed strong antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungus. These peptides showed no growth inhibition activity against murine fibroblasts or macrophages and no hemolytic activity against rabbit erythrocytes in vitro. Furthermore, the administration of these peptides protected mice from a lethal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) challenge. In addition, these peptides suppressed tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) gene expression and production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in murine macrophages.

Purification and cDNA cloning of inducible antibacterial peptides from Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera)

Three antibacterial peptides, named protaetins 1, 2, and 3, were purified and characterized from immunized larval hemolymph of Protaetia brevitarsis, a fruit tree pest in Korea. Also, protaetin 1 was cloned. Acid extraction, gel filtration, preparative acid-urea PAGE, and reversed-phase FPLC were used for purification of peptides. Protaetins 1 and 3 had molecular masses of 7.5 and 12 kDa on Tricine SDS-PAGE, respectively, and the molecular mass of protaetin 2 was 9,283.95 Da as determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In an antibacterial assay, protaetins showed antibacterial activities against a panel of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. For the RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) to obtain the complete primary sequence, the primer was designed according to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of protaetin 1. Amino acid sequence homology of protaetin 1 with holotricin 2, an antibacterial peptide from Holotrichia diomphalia, showed 99% identity. Northern blot analysis showed that the protaetin 1 gene was strongly expressed in the fat body after Escherichia coli injection, but not in normal fat body. Also, it was expressed in the gut, but was much weaker after immunization.

Two novel insect defensins from larvae of the cupreous chafer, Anomala cuprea: purification, amino acid sequences and antibacterial activity

A humoral immune response in larvae of the coleopteran insect, Anomala cuprea has been examined for exploring the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions. The antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive strain, Micrococcus luteus was detected at a low level in absence of injection. The activity increased strikingly in the hemolymph of the larvae challenged with Escherichia coli, showing the fluctuating profile through a time course, which consists of the static induction phase, the production phase rising to a maximum level, and the reduction phase extending over a long duration. Two peptides were purified and characterized by reverse-phase HPLC, Edman degradation and mass spectrometry. They were isoforms, composed of similar sequences with two amino acid substitutions in 43 residues, and novel members of the insect defensins, cysteine-rich antibacterial peptides. Anomala defensins A and B showed potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with slight differences in activity against a few strains of tested bacteria. Anomala defensin B was active at high concentration of 40 microM against the Gram-negative strain, Xenorhabdus japonicus, a pathogen toward the host, A. cuprea larvae.

Purification, characterization and gene expression of a glycine and proline-rich antibacterial protein family from larvae of a beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma

Two structurally related antibacterial proteins were isolated from larvae of a beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma, immunized with Escherichia coli. The two proteins were designated A. dichotoma (A. d.) coleoptericin A and B. The mature portion of A. d. coleoptericins deduced from nucleotide sequences of the cDNAs consists of seventy-two amino acids without cysteine residues and is rich in glycine (11.1%) and proline (11.1%). Comparison of the amino acid sequences of the A. d. coleoptericins revealed that these antibacterial proteins have 94%, 75%, 50% and 43% similarity to rhinocerosin, holotricin 2, coleoptericin and acaloleptin A1. Recombinant A. d. coleoptericin A and B showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and Bacillus subtilis. Recombinant A. d. coleoptericin A and B were shown to not form pores through bacterial membranes of E. coli, but to hamper cell division. Results of Northern blotting showed that A. d. coleoptericin genes are inducible by bacteria and are expressed strongly in the fat bodies and haemocytes, and weakly in the Malpighian tubules. Analysis of the evolutionary relationship of amino acid sequences among A. d. coleoptericins and other antibacterial proteins suggests that A. d. coleoptericins, rhinocerosin and holotricin 2 are closely related and form a gene family.

Cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides in invertebrates

Antimicrobial peptides are pivotal elements of the innate immune defense against bacterial and fungal infections. Within the impressive list of antimicrobial peptides available at present, more than half have been characterized in arthropods. Cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides represent the most diverse and widely distributed family among arthropods and, to a larger extent, among invertebrates. Proeminent groups of cysteine-rich peptides are peptides with the CS alpha beta motif and peptides forming an hairpin-like beta-sheet structure. Although these substances exhibit a large structural diversity and a wide spectrum of activity, they have in common the ability to permeabilize microbial cytoplasmic membranes. Drosophila has proved a remarkable system for the analysis of the regulation of expression of gene encoding antimicrobial cysteine-rich peptides. These studies have unraveled the striking parallels that exist between insect immunity and innate immunity in mammals that point to a common ancestry of essential aspects of innate immunity.

Purification, cDNA cloning and modification of a defensin from the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros

A novel member of the insect defensins, a family of antibacterial peptides, was purified from larvae of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, immunized with Escherichia coli. A full-size cDNA was cloned by combining reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Analysis of the O. rhinoceros defensin gene expression showed it to be expressed in the fat body and hemocyte, midgut and Malpighian tubules. O. rhinoceros defensin showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A 9-mer peptide amidated at its C-terminus, AHCLAICRK-NH2 (Ala22-Lys30-NH2), was synthesized based on the deduced amino-acid sequence, assumed to be an active site sequence by analogy with the sequence of a defensin isolated from larvae of the beetle Allomyrina dichotoma. This peptide showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We further modified this oligopeptide and synthesized five 9-mer peptides, ALRLAIRKR-NH2, ALLLAIRKR-NH2, AWLLAIRKR-NH2, ALYLAIRKR-NH2 and ALWLAIRKR-NH2. These oligopeptides showed strong antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The antibacterial effect of Ala22-Lys30-NH2 analogues was due to its interaction with bacterial membranes, judging from the leakage of liposome-entrapped glucose. These Ala22-Lys30-NH2 analogues did not show haemolytic activity and did not inhibit the growth of murine fibroblast cells or macrophages, except for AWLLAIRKR-NH2.

Acaloleptins A: inducible antibacterial peptides from larvae of the beetle, Acalolepta luxuriosa

We purified and characterized three structurally related antibacterial peptides with a molecular mass of 8 kDa (acaloleptins A1, A2, and A3) from the hemolymph of immunized larvae of the Udo longicorn beetle, Acalolepta luxuriosa. These peptides have the same 6 N-terminal amino acid residues and show potent antibacterial activity against some Gram-negative bacteria. The three peptides are thought to be isoforms. Reverse phase HPLC analysis of the hemolymph of immunized and naive larvae showed that acaloleptins A1, A2, and A3 were inducible and suggested that all three peptides were produced in a single insect. We determined the complete amino acid sequence of acaloleptin A1: Acaloleptin A1 consists of 71 amino acid residues and shares significant sequence similarity with coleoptericin and holotricin 2, which were isolated from other coleopteran insects. Furthermore, the 29 C-terminal residues of acaloleptin A1 had 40% identity with the 30 C-terminal residues of hymenoptaecin found in honeybees. Arch. Insect Biochem.

Antimicrobial activity of exocrine glandular secretions, hemolymph, and larval regurgitate of the mustard leaf beetle phaedon cochleariae

Larvae and adults of the mustard leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) possess exocrine glands with secretions which are used in defense against predators. This study addressed the question whether these defensive secretions also display antimicrobial activity. Additionally, the effects of larval and adult hemolymph and larval regurgitate toward microorganisms were examined. The larval glandular secretion showed growth-inhibitory activity against the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, but no lytic effect against cell walls of the gram-positive bacterium Micrococcus luteus. Growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana was also inhibited by the larval secretion. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of the larval secretion was found to be due to its main component, the iridoid monoterpene, (epi)chrysomelidial. The mechanism of its antifungal activity was examined by different bioassays and compared to the commercially available fungicide nystatin. The antifungal activity of the larval secretion is not due to a loss of intracellular potassium in treated fungal cells, while high potassium efflux from treated cells is the mode of action of common fungicides. The larval secretion exhibited direct cytotoxicity against both fungal cells and plasmatocytes isolated from the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella. In contrast to the larval secretion, the adult glandular secretion of P. cochleariae showed lytic activity against the cell walls of the gram-positive bacterium M. luteus, but no activity against the gram-negative bacterium E. coli and eukaryotic cells. Hemolymph and larval regurgitate of P. cochleariae displayed the same activity as the tested glandular secretion of adults. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Beta-sheet antibiotic peptides as potential dental therapeutics

Small, cysteine-rich, beta-sheet peptide antibiotics are found throughout the Animalia. Though broad spectrum in potential, they may exert selective antimicrobial effects under certain conditions. We have explored the antimicrobial properties of two families of beta-sheet peptide antibiotics, defensins and protegrins, against periodontopathic bacteria. The rabbit defensin NP-1 was active against facultative Gram-negative bacteria associated with early onset periodontitis, including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and the Capnocytophaga spp. Porcine protegrins showed even greater activity against those organisms, as well as against anaerobic bacteria associated with adult periodontitis, including Porphyromonas gingivalis Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Based on these observations, we believe that protegrin-like beta-sheet peptide antibiotics may be useful dental therapeutics.