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Barroso C, Carvalho P, Carvalho C, Santarém N, Gonçalves JFM, Rodrigues PNS, Neves JV. The Diverse Piscidin Repertoire of the European Sea Bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax): Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Activities. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134613. [PMID: 32610543 PMCID: PMC7369796 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish rely on their innate immune responses to cope with the challenging aquatic environment, with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) being one of the first line of defenses. Piscidins are a group of fish specific AMPs isolated in several species. However, in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchuslabrax), the piscidin family remains poorly understood. We identified six different piscidins in sea bass, performed an in-depth molecular characterization and evaluated their antimicrobial activities against several bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Sea bass piscidins present variable amino acid sequences and antimicrobial activities, and can be divided in different sub groups: group 1, formed by piscidins 1 and 4; group 2, constituted by piscidins 2 and 5, and group 3, formed by piscidins 6 and 7. Additionally, we demonstrate that piscidins 1 to 5 possess a broad effect on multiple microorganisms, including mammalian parasites, while piscidins 6 and 7 have poor antibacterial and antiparasitic activities. These results raise questions on the functions of these peptides, particularly piscidins 6 and 7. Considering their limited antimicrobial activity, these piscidins might have other functional roles, but further studies are necessary to better understand what roles might those be.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Barroso
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Programa Doutoral em Biologia Molecular e Celular (MCbiology), ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Pedro Carvalho
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
| | - Carla Carvalho
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Parasite Disease, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Santarém
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Parasite Disease, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - José F. M. Gonçalves
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
- CIIMAR—Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro N. S. Rodrigues
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
| | - João V. Neves
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (C.C.); (N.S.); (P.N.S.R.); (J.V.N.)
- Iron and Innate Immunity, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (P.C.); (J.F.M.G.)
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Wang Q, Xia R, Ji JJ, Zhu Q, Li XP, Ma Y, Xu YC. Diversity of Antimicrobial Peptides in Three Partially Sympatric Frog Species in Northeast Asia and Implications for Evolution. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E158. [PMID: 32024145 PMCID: PMC7073735 DOI: 10.3390/genes11020158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are evolutionarily ancient molecules that play an essential role in innate immunity across taxa from invertebrates to vertebrates. The evolution system of AMP system has not been well explained in the literature. In this study, we cloned and sequenced AMP transcriptomes of three frog species, namely Rana dybowskii, Rana amurensis, and Pelophylax nigromaculatus, which are partially sympatric in northeast Asia, but show different habitat preferences. We found that each species contained 7 to 14 families of AMPs and the diversity was higher in species with a large geographic range and greater habitat variation. All AMPs are phylogenetically related but not associated with the speciation process. Most AMP genes were under negative selection. We propose that the diversification and addition of novel functions and improvement of antimicrobial efficiency are facilitated by the expansion of family members and numbers. We also documented significant negative correlation of net charges and numbers of amino acid residues between the propiece and mature peptide segments. This supports the Net Charge Balance Hypothesis. We propose the Cut Point Sliding Hypothesis as a novel diversification mechanism to explain the correlation in lengths of the two segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Wang
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
| | - Rui Xia
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jing Jing Ji
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Qian Zhu
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
- Beijing E-young Technology Company Limited, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Xiao Ping Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration Detecting Centre of Wildlife, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yan Chun Xu
- Department of Physiology, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (Q.W.); (R.X.); (J.J.J.); (Q.Z.); (X.P.L.); (Y.M.)
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration Detecting Centre of Wildlife, Harbin 150040, China
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration Research Center of Engineering Technology for Wildlife Conservation and Utilization, Harbin 150040, China
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An insight into piscidins: The discovery, modulation and bioactivity of greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili, piscidin. Mol Immunol 2019; 114:378-388. [PMID: 31450183 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2019.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play an important role in the innate immune response of vertebrates by creating a hostile environment for any invading pathogens. Piscidins are potent teleost specific AMPs, which have a broad spectrum activity. We have identified a novel piscidin active peptide, in the greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili, that consists of 25 aa, which forms an amphipathic helix with distinct hydrophobic and positively charged regions. Following homology and phylogenetic analysis the greater amberjack piscidin was deemed to belong to the group 3 family of piscidins. Piscidin was expressed constitutively at immune sites, with transcript level highest in the spleen and gut, at an intermediate level in the gills and lowest in the head kidney. Following in vivo stimulation with PAMPs (poly I:C, LPS and flagellin) piscidin transcript level increased in gills in response to flagellin, in gut and spleen in response to poly I:C, and in head kidney in response to poly I:C, LPS and flagellin. Head kidney and spleen cells were then isolated from greater amberjack and incubated with each of the PAMPs for 4, 12 and 24 h. Piscidin expression was unchanged at 4 and 12 h post PAMP stimulation in head kidney cells but at 24 h transcript level was markedly upregulated compared to control (unstimulated) cells, especially with the bacterial PAMPs. In contrast, spleen cells upregulated piscidin expression by 4 h post stimulation with poly I:C and flagellin, and remained upregulated to 24 h with flagellin exposure, but had returned to baseline levels by 12 h using poly I:C. To determine if piscidin expression could be modulated by diet, greater amberjack were fed diets supplemented with MOS and cMOS for 30 days when transcript level was determined. It was found that MOS supplemented diets increased expression in the spleen, cMOS supplemented diets upregulated transcript levels in the gills and head kidney, whilst a diet containing both MOS and cMOS upregulated transcript in the gut, when compared to fish fed the control diet. Finally, a synthetic greater amberjack piscidin was produced and showed bacteriostatic activity against a number of bacterial strains, including both Gram positive and Gram negative fish pathogens.
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Muncaster S, Kraakman K, Gibbons O, Mensink K, Forlenza M, Jacobson G, Bird S. Antimicrobial peptides within the Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 80:67-80. [PMID: 28433529 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A number of Seriola species are currently farmed or being investigated as future aquaculture species in countries around the world. However they face a number of issues and limitations which will need to be overcome to ensure future stability and growth, one of which are disease outbreaks. Despite this, very little has been done to understand the immune system of Seriola species and very few immune genes have been characterised. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are naturally occurring low molecular weight polypeptides that play a major role in an organism's immune system and act effectively as a first line of defence. This investigation isolates the full length cDNA sequences of two AMP's, piscidin and hepcidin from the yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). The full-length cDNA of the piscidin gene encodes a 65 amino acid prepropeptide, containing a 25-residue peptide, predicted to form an amphipathic helix-loop-helix structure. Phylogenetic analysis using fish piscidin sequences, showed that this AMP is only found in bony fish within the Acanthomorpha clade and that a possible three groups within the piscidin family exists, with S. lalandi belonging to a particular group. The full-length cDNA of the hepcidin gene encodes a 90 amino acid preprohepcidin, which contains a typical RX(R/K)R motif for cleavage of the mature peptide which comprises of eight conserved cysteine residues. Phylogenetic analysis of known vertebrate hepcidin antimicrobial peptide (HAMP) sequences, shows sequences from the Neoteleostei clade of bony fish form two very separate groups, HAMP1 and HAMP2, with the S. lalandi hepcidin gene grouped with the HAMP1 sequences. HAMP2 sequences are found to have multiple copies within fish and genome analysis showed very clearly that these two groups of genes are located on separate regions on the genome, with the multiple HAMP2 copies formed from tandem gene duplications. Lastly, using qPCR the expression of the S. lalandi piscidin gene within healthy fish was highest within, spleen and gills and lowest in liver, whereas hepcidin was highest in the liver with little or no expression in the spleen and gills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Muncaster
- Marine and Environmental Group, School of Applied Science, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Tauranga, New Zealand
| | - Kirsty Kraakman
- Molecular Genetics, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Olivia Gibbons
- Molecular Genetics, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Koen Mensink
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Forlenza
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gregory Jacobson
- Molecular Genetics, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Steve Bird
- Molecular Genetics, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
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High-Throughput Identification of Antimicrobial Peptides from Amphibious Mudskippers. Mar Drugs 2017; 15:md15110364. [PMID: 29165344 PMCID: PMC5706053 DOI: 10.3390/md15110364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread existence of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been reported in various animals with comprehensive biological activities, which is consistent with the important roles of AMPs as the first line of host defense system. However, no big-data-based analysis on AMPs from any fish species is available. In this study, we identified 507 AMP transcripts on the basis of our previously reported genomes and transcriptomes of two representative amphibious mudskippers, Boleophthalmus pectinirostris (BP) and Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus (PM). The former is predominantly aquatic with less time out of water, while the latter is primarily terrestrial with extended periods of time on land. Within these identified AMPs, 449 sequences are novel; 15 were reported in BP previously; 48 are identically overlapped between BP and PM; 94 were validated by mass spectrometry. Moreover, most AMPs presented differential tissue transcription patterns in the two mudskippers. Interestingly, we discovered two AMPs, hemoglobin β1 and amylin, with high inhibitions on Micrococcus luteus. In conclusion, our high-throughput screening strategy based on genomic and transcriptomic data opens an efficient pathway to discover new antimicrobial peptides for ongoing development of marine drugs.
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Roy SW. Is Mutation Random or Targeted?: No Evidence for Hypermutability in Snail Toxin Genes. Mol Biol Evol 2016; 33:2642-7. [PMID: 27486220 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msw140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ever since Luria and Delbruck, the notion that mutation is random with respect to fitness has been foundational to modern biology. However, various studies have claimed striking exceptions to this rule. One influential case involves toxin-encoding genes in snails of the genus Conus, termed conotoxins, a large gene family that undergoes rapid diversification of their protein-coding sequences by positive selection. Previous reconstructions of the sequence evolution of conotoxin genes claimed striking patterns: (1) elevated synonymous change, interpreted as being due to targeted "hypermutation" in this region; (2) elevated transversion-to-transition ratios, interpreted as reflective of the particular mechanism of hypermutation; and (3) much lower rates of synonymous change in the codons encoding several highly conserved cysteine residues, interpreted as strong position-specific codon bias. This work has spawned a variety of studies on the potential mechanisms of hypermutation and on causes for cysteine codon bias, and has inspired hypermutation hypotheses for various other fast-evolving genes. Here, I show that all three findings are likely to be artifacts of statistical reconstruction. First, by simulating nonsynonymous change I show that high rates of dN can lead to overestimation of dS. Second, I show that there is no evidence for any of these three patterns in comparisons of closely related conotoxin sequences, suggesting that the reported findings are due to breakdown of statistical methods at high levels of sequence divergence. The current findings suggest that mutation and codon bias in conotoxin genes may not be atypical, and that random mutation and selection can explain the evolution of even these exceptional loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W Roy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University
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Schmitt P, Rosa RD, Destoumieux-Garzón D. An intimate link between antimicrobial peptide sequence diversity and binding to essential components of bacterial membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2015; 1858:958-70. [PMID: 26498397 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) are widespread in the living kingdom. They are key effectors of defense reactions and mediators of competitions between organisms. They are often cationic and amphiphilic, which favors their interactions with the anionic membranes of microorganisms. Several AMP families do not directly alter membrane integrity but rather target conserved components of the bacterial membranes in a process that provides them with potent and specific antimicrobial activities. Thus, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), lipoteichoic acids (LTA) and the peptidoglycan precursor Lipid II are targeted by a broad series of AMPs. Studying the functional diversity of immune effectors tells us about the essential residues involved in AMP mechanism of action. Marine invertebrates have been found to produce a remarkable diversity of AMPs. Molluscan defensins and crustacean anti-LPS factors (ALF) are diverse in terms of amino acid sequence and show contrasted phenotypes in terms of antimicrobial activity. Their activity is directed essentially against Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria due to their specific interactions with Lipid II or Lipid A, respectively. Through those interesting examples, we discuss here how sequence diversity generated throughout evolution informs us on residues required for essential molecular interaction at the bacterial membranes and subsequent antibacterial activity. Through the analysis of molecular variants having lost antibacterial activity or shaped novel functions, we also discuss the molecular bases of functional divergence in AMPs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antimicrobial peptides edited by Karl Lohner and Kai Hilpert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Schmitt
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, 2373223 Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Rafael D Rosa
- Laboratory of Immunology Applied to Aquaculture, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Delphine Destoumieux-Garzón
- CNRS, Ifremer, UPVD, Université de Montpellier. Interactions Hôtes-Pathogènes-Environnements (IHPE), UMR5244, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34090 Montpellier cedex, France.
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Katzenback BA. Antimicrobial Peptides as Mediators of Innate Immunity in Teleosts. BIOLOGY 2015; 4:607-39. [PMID: 26426065 PMCID: PMC4690011 DOI: 10.3390/biology4040607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified throughout the metazoa suggesting their evolutionarily conserved nature and their presence in teleosts is no exception. AMPs are short (18–46 amino acids), usually cationic, amphipathic peptides. While AMPs are diverse in amino acid sequence, with no two AMPs being identical, they collectively appear to have conserved functions in the innate immunity of animals towards the pathogens they encounter in their environment. Fish AMPs are upregulated in response to pathogens and appear to have direct broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity towards both human and fish pathogens. However, an emerging role for AMPs as immunomodulatory molecules has become apparent—the ability of AMPs to activate the innate immune system sheds light onto the multifaceted capacity of these small peptides to combat pathogens through direct and indirect means. Herein, this review focuses on the role of teleost AMPs as modulators of the innate immune system and their regulation in response to pathogens or other exogenous molecules. The capacity to regulate AMP expression by exogenous factors may prove useful in modulating AMP expression in fish to prevent disease, particularly in aquaculture settings where crowded conditions and environmental stress pre-dispose these fish to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Katzenback
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
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Neves JV, Caldas C, Vieira I, Ramos MF, Rodrigues PNS. Multiple Hepcidins in a Teleost Fish, Dicentrarchus labrax: Different Hepcidins for Different Roles. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 195:2696-709. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1501153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Masso-Silva JA, Diamond G. Antimicrobial peptides from fish. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2014; 7:265-310. [PMID: 24594555 PMCID: PMC3978493 DOI: 10.3390/ph7030265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Revised: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are found widely distributed through Nature, and participate in the innate host defense of each species. Fish are a great source of these peptides, as they express all of the major classes of AMPs, including defensins, cathelicidins, hepcidins, histone-derived peptides, and a fish-specific class of the cecropin family, called piscidins. As with other species, the fish peptides exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, killing both fish and human pathogens. They are also immunomodulatory, and their genes are highly responsive to microbes and innate immuno-stimulatory molecules. Recent research has demonstrated that some of the unique properties of fish peptides, including their ability to act even in very high salt concentrations, make them good potential targets for development as therapeutic antimicrobials. Further, the stimulation of their gene expression by exogenous factors could be useful in preventing pathogenic microbes in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Masso-Silva
- Department of Pediatrics and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07101, USA.
| | - Gill Diamond
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Box 100424, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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Pereiro P, Figueras A, Novoa B. A novel hepcidin-like in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) highly expressed after pathogen challenge but not after iron overload. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2012; 32:879-89. [PMID: 22381569 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2012.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2011] [Revised: 02/08/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2012] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepcidins are antimicrobial peptides with an important role in the host innate immunity. Moreover, it has been reported that mammalian hepcidins present a dual-function being a key regulator in the iron homeostasis. Here, we describe the coding sequence of a novel hepcidin-like peptide in turbot, Scophthalmus maximus. This molecule presents several differences with regard to the previously characterized hepcidin in this flatfish species and it has not the hypothetical iron regulatory sequence Q-S/I-H-L/I-S/A-L in the N-terminal region. Therefore we propose the existence of at least two types of hepcidin in turbot. Moreover, results revealed a higher variability in the mRNA sequences of the novel hepcidin compared with the other form. Constitutive expression of turbot hepcidins (Hepcidin-1 and Hepcidin-2) was analyzed in several tissues and as expected, both molecules were highly represented in liver. On the other hand, the effect of three different stimuli (bacterial or viral infection and iron overloading) in the level of hepcidin mRNA was also examined and a differential response to pathogens and iron was observed. Whereas both hepcidins were affected by pathogen challenge, only Hepcidin-1 was up-regulated after iron overloading. Therefore, this and other evidences suggest that these peptides could be involved in different functions covering the dual role of mammalian hepcidins.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Pereiro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM), CSIC, Vigo, Spain
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12
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Yang W, Cheng T, Ye M, Deng X, Yi H, Huang Y, Tan X, Han D, Wang B, Xiang Z, Cao Y, Xia Q. Functional divergence among silkworm antimicrobial peptide paralogs by the activities of recombinant proteins and the induced expression profiles. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18109. [PMID: 21479226 PMCID: PMC3066212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2010] [Accepted: 02/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are small-molecule proteins that are usually encoded by multiple-gene families. They play crucial roles in the innate immune response, but reports on the functional divergence of antimicrobial peptide gene families are rare. In this study, 14 paralogs of antimicrobial peptides belonging to cecropin, moricin and gloverin families were recombinantly expressed in pET expression systems. By antimicrobial activity tests, peptides representing paralogs in the same family of cecropin and moricin families, displayed remarkable differences against 10 tested bacteria. The evolutionary rates were relatively fast in the two families, which presented obvious functional divergence among paralogs of each family. Four peptides of gloverin family had similar antimicrobial spectrum and activity against tested bacteria. The gloverin family showed similar antimicrobial function and slow evolutionary rates. By induced transcriptional activity, genes encoding active antimicrobial peptides were upregulated at obviously different levels when silkworm pupae were infected by three types of microbes. Association analysis of antimicrobial activities and induced transcriptional activities indicated that the antimicrobial activities might be positively correlated with induced transcriptional activities in the cecropin and moricin families. These results suggest that representative BmcecB6, BmcecD and Bmmor as the major effector genes have broad antimicrobial spectrum, strong antimicrobial activity and high microbe-induced expression among each family and maybe play crucial roles in eliminating microbial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Yang
- Laboratory of Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingcai Cheng
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingqiang Ye
- Laboratory of Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- The Sericulture & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Deng
- Laboratory of Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiyu Yi
- Laboratory of Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yadong Huang
- Biopharmaceutical Research and Development Center, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Tan
- Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dong Han
- Laboratory of Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhonghuai Xiang
- Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Laboratory of Insect Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (YC); (QX)
| | - Qingyou Xia
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- * E-mail: (YC); (QX)
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13
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HELLGREN O, SHELDON BC. Locus‐specific protocol for nine different innate immune genes (antimicrobial peptides: β‐defensins) across passerine bird species reveals within‐species coding variation and a case of trans‐species polymorphisms. Mol Ecol Resour 2011; 11:686-92. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2011.02995.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- O. HELLGREN
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - B. C. SHELDON
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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14
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Rates B, Silva LP, Ireno IC, Leite FSF, Borges MH, Bloch C, De Lima ME, Pimenta AMC. Peptidomic dissection of the skin secretion of Phasmahyla jandaia (Bokermann and Sazima, 1978) (Anura, Hylidae, Phyllomedusinae). Toxicon 2010; 57:35-52. [PMID: 20932854 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2010.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2010] [Revised: 09/22/2010] [Accepted: 09/24/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The systematic investigation of the peptidic composition of the skin secretion of Phasmahyla jandaia, a phyllomedusine anuran endemic to the southern region of the Espinhaço range in Brazil, is herein reported. By means of de novo interpretation of tandem mass spectrometric data, Edman N-terminal sequencing and similarity searches, 57 peptides - including phylloseptins, dermaseptins stricto sensu, dermatoxins, hyposins, tryptophyllins, caerulein-related, bradykinin-related, bradykinin potentiating, tyrosine-rich, and opioid peptides - were sequenced. Moreover, five peptide families without significant similarity to other known molecules were verified. Differently from most Phyllomedusinae genera, the molecular diversity in the skin of representatives of Phasmahyla remained unprospected until now. Therefore, besides disclosing novel natural variants of number of bioactive peptides, the present study contributes to the understanding of the evolution of biochemical characters of the phyllomedusines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breno Rates
- Laboratório de Venenos e Toxinas Animais, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
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15
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Fernandes JMO, Ruangsri J, Kiron V. Atlantic cod piscidin and its diversification through positive selection. PLoS One 2010; 5:e9501. [PMID: 20209162 PMCID: PMC2830478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2010] [Accepted: 02/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Piscidins constitute a family of cationic antimicrobial peptides that are thought to play an important role in the innate immune response of teleosts. On the one hand they show a remarkable diversity, which indicates that they are shaped by positive selection, but on the other hand they are ancient and have specific targets, suggesting that they are constrained by purifying selection. Until now piscidins had only been found in fish species from the superorder Acanthopterygii but we have recently identified a piscidin gene in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), thus showing that these antimicrobial peptides are not restricted to evolutionarily modern teleosts. Nucleotide diversity was much higher in the regions of the piscidin gene that code for the mature peptide and its pro domain than in the signal peptide. Maximum likelihood analyses with different evolution models revealed that the piscidin gene is under positive selection. Charge or hydrophobicity-changing amino acid substitutions observed in positively selected sites within the mature peptide influence its amphipathic structure and can have a marked effect on its function. This diversification might be associated with adaptation to new habitats or rapidly evolving pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge M O Fernandes
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Bodø University College, Bodø, Nordland, Norway.
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16
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Tomasinsig L, Morgera F, Antcheva N, Pacor S, Skerlavaj B, Zanetti M, Tossi A. Structure dependence of biological activities for primate cathelicidins. J Pept Sci 2009; 15:576-82. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.1143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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17
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Nicolas P, El Amri C. The dermaseptin superfamily: A gene-based combinatorial library of antimicrobial peptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2009; 1788:1537-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2008.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2008] [Revised: 09/14/2008] [Accepted: 09/18/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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18
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The rapid evolution of signal peptides is mainly caused by relaxed selection on non-synonymous and synonymous sites. Gene 2009; 436:8-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2009.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2008] [Revised: 01/21/2009] [Accepted: 01/29/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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19
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Tennessen JA, Blouin MS. Balancing selection at a frog antimicrobial peptide locus: fluctuating immune effector alleles? Mol Biol Evol 2008; 25:2669-80. [PMID: 18799711 PMCID: PMC2582982 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msn208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Balancing selection is common on many defense genes, but it has rarely been reported for immune effector proteins such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). We describe genetic diversity at a brevinin-1 AMP locus in three species of leopard frogs (Rana pipiens, Rana blairi, and Rana palustris). Several highly divergent allelic lineages are segregating at this locus. That this unusual pattern results from balancing selection is demonstrated by multiple lines of evidence, including a ratio of nonsynonymous/synonymous polymorphism significantly higher than 1, the ZnS test, incongruence between the number of segregating sites and haplotype diversity, and significant Tajima's D values. Our data are more consistent with a model of fluctuating selection in which alleles change frequencies over time than with a model of stable balancing selection such as overdominance. Evidence for fluctuating selection includes skewed allele frequencies, low levels of synonymous variation, nonneutral values of Tajima's D within allelic lineages, an inverse relationship between the frequency of an allelic lineage and its degree of polymorphism, and divergent allele frequencies among populations. AMP loci could be important sites of adaptive genetic diversity, with consequences for host–pathogen coevolution and the ability of species to resist disease epidemics.
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20
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Padhi A, Buchheim MA, Verghese B. Dynamic evolutionary pattern of α2-macroglobulin in a model organism, the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Mol Immunol 2008; 45:3312-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2008.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2008] [Accepted: 03/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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21
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Tennessen JA. Positive selection drives a correlation between non-synonymous/synonymous divergence and functional divergence. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 24:1421-5. [PMID: 18443017 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btn205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
MOTIVATION Functional divergence among proteins is often assumed to be strongly influenced by natural selection, as inferred from the ratio of non-synonymous nucleotide divergence (d(N)) to synonymous nucleotide divergence (d(S)). That is, the more a mutation changes protein function, the more likely it is to be either selected against or selectively favored, and because the d(N)/d(S) ratio is a measure of natural selection, this ratio can be used to predict the degree of functional divergence (d(F)). However, these hypotheses have rarely been experimentally tested. RESULTS I present a novel method to address this issue, and demonstrate that divergence in bacteria-killing activity among animal antimicrobial peptides is positively correlated with the log of the d(N)/d(S) ratio. The primary cause of this pattern appears to be that positively selected substitutions change protein function more than neutral substitutions do. Thus, the d(N)/d(S) ratio is an accurate estimator of adaptive functional divergence. CONTACT tennessj@science.oregonstate.edu SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data, including GenBank Accession numbers, are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A Tennessen
- Department of Zoology, 3029 Cordley Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
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22
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Padhi A, Verghese B. Evidence for positive Darwinian selection on the hepcidin gene of Perciform and Pleuronectiform fishes. Mol Divers 2007; 11:119-30. [PMID: 18060573 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-007-9066-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2007] [Accepted: 10/22/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hepcidin is a small cysteine-rich peptide that plays an important role in antimicrobial activity and in maintaining iron homeostasis in vertebrates. Here we report on the underlying mechanism that maintains high sequence diversities among the hepcidin-like variants of perciform and pleuronectiform fishes. In contrast to mammals, maximum likelihood-based codon substitution analyses revealed that positive Darwinian selection (nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution, omega > 1) is the likely cause of accelerated rate of amino acid substitutions in the hepcidin mature peptide region of these fishes. Comparison of models incorporating positive selection (omega > 1) at certain sites with models not incorporating positive selection (omega < 1) failed to reject (p = 0) the evidence of positive selection among the codon sites of percifom and pleuronectiform hepcidin. The adaptive evolution of this peptide in perciform and pleuronectiform fishes might be directed by pathogens when the host is exposed to new habitats/environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abinash Padhi
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, 600 S. College Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA.
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Selection for Antimicrobial Peptide Diversity in Frogs Leads to Gene Duplication and Low Allelic Variation. J Mol Evol 2007; 65:605-15. [DOI: 10.1007/s00239-007-9045-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2006] [Revised: 06/12/2007] [Accepted: 09/20/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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24
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Pasupuleti M, Walse B, Nordahl EA, Mörgelin M, Malmsten M, Schmidtchen A. Preservation of antimicrobial properties of complement peptide C3a, from invertebrates to humans. J Biol Chem 2006; 282:2520-8. [PMID: 17132627 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m607848200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The human anaphylatoxin peptide C3a, generated during complement activation, exerts antimicrobial effects. Phylogenetic analysis, sequence analyses, and structural modeling studies paired with antimicrobial assays of peptides from known C3a sequences showed that, in particular in vertebrate C3a, crucial structural determinants governing antimicrobial activity have been conserved during the evolution of C3a. Thus, regions of the ancient C3a from Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda as well as corresponding parts of human C3a exhibited helical structures upon binding to bacterial lipopolysaccharide permeabilized liposomes and were antimicrobial against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Human C3a and C4a (but not C5a) were antimicrobial, in concert with the separate evolutionary development of the chemotactic C5a. Thus, the results demonstrate that, notwithstanding a significant sequence variation, functional and structural constraints imposed on C3a during evolution have preserved critical properties governing antimicrobial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Pasupuleti
- Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Biomedical Center, Lund University, Tornavägen 10, SE-221 84 Lund, Sweden
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