Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides
Insects produce a large repertoire of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as the first line of defense against bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. These peptides are produced from a large precursor that contains a signal domain, which is cleaved in vivo to produce the mature protein with antimicrobial...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/212 |
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| author | Francesco Buonocore Anna Maria Fausto Giulia Della Pelle Tomislav Roncevic Marco Gerdol Simona Picchietti |
| author_facet | Francesco Buonocore Anna Maria Fausto Giulia Della Pelle Tomislav Roncevic Marco Gerdol Simona Picchietti |
| author_sort | Francesco Buonocore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Insects produce a large repertoire of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as the first line of defense against bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. These peptides are produced from a large precursor that contains a signal domain, which is cleaved in vivo to produce the mature protein with antimicrobial activity. At present, AMPs from insects include several families which can be classified as cecropins, ponericins, defensins, lebocins, drosocin, Metchnikowin, gloverins, diptericins and attacins according to their structure and/or function. This short review is focused on attacins, a class of glycine-rich peptides/proteins that have been first discovered in the cecropia moth (<i>Hyalophora cecropia</i>). They are a rather heterogeneous group of immunity-related proteins that exhibit an antimicrobial effect mainly against Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we discuss different attacin and attacin-like AMPs that have been discovered so far and analyze their structure and phylogeny. Special focus is given to the physiological importance and mechanism of action of attacins against microbial pathogens together with their potential pharmacological applications, emphasizing their roles as antimicrobials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:41:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-23cfdc1fd7af462e90074f2bdc342d2c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:41:23Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-23cfdc1fd7af462e90074f2bdc342d2c2023-12-11T17:46:56ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822021-02-0110221210.3390/antibiotics10020212Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial PeptidesFrancesco Buonocore0Anna Maria Fausto1Giulia Della Pelle2Tomislav Roncevic3Marco Gerdol4Simona Picchietti5Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 05100 Viterbo, VT, ItalyDepartment for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 05100 Viterbo, VT, ItalyDepartment for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 05100 Viterbo, VT, ItalyDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Rudera Boskovica 33, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, TS, ItalyDepartment for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 05100 Viterbo, VT, ItalyInsects produce a large repertoire of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as the first line of defense against bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. These peptides are produced from a large precursor that contains a signal domain, which is cleaved in vivo to produce the mature protein with antimicrobial activity. At present, AMPs from insects include several families which can be classified as cecropins, ponericins, defensins, lebocins, drosocin, Metchnikowin, gloverins, diptericins and attacins according to their structure and/or function. This short review is focused on attacins, a class of glycine-rich peptides/proteins that have been first discovered in the cecropia moth (<i>Hyalophora cecropia</i>). They are a rather heterogeneous group of immunity-related proteins that exhibit an antimicrobial effect mainly against Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we discuss different attacin and attacin-like AMPs that have been discovered so far and analyze their structure and phylogeny. Special focus is given to the physiological importance and mechanism of action of attacins against microbial pathogens together with their potential pharmacological applications, emphasizing their roles as antimicrobials.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/212insect AMPsattacinsantimicrobial activitypharmacological applications |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Buonocore Anna Maria Fausto Giulia Della Pelle Tomislav Roncevic Marco Gerdol Simona Picchietti Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides Antibiotics insect AMPs attacins antimicrobial activity pharmacological applications |
| title | Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides |
| title_full | Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides |
| title_fullStr | Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides |
| title_short | Attacins: A Promising Class of Insect Antimicrobial Peptides |
| title_sort | attacins a promising class of insect antimicrobial peptides |
| topic | insect AMPs attacins antimicrobial activity pharmacological applications |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/212 |
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