• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.759-767
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• 2017

Lactophoricin (LPcin), which is a part of proteose peptone isolated from bovine milk, is a cationic amphipathic ${\alpha}-helical$ antimicrobial peptide. Its truncated variants and mutated analogs were designed and their antimicrobial activities were evaluated by using various assays, like broth dilution methods and disk diffusion methods as well as hemolysis assay. Three analogs, LPcin-C8 (LPcin-YK1), LPcin-T2&6W (LPcin-YK2), and LPcin-T2&6W-C8 (LPcin-YK3), which showed better antibiotic activities than LPcin, were selected. Their secondary structures were also characterized by using CD spectropolarimetry. These three analogs of LPcin could be used as an alternative source of powerful antibacterial agents.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1073-1077
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• 1999

CRAMP, a 37-amino acid cationic antimicrobial peptide was recently deduced from the cDNA cloned from mouse femoral marrow RNA. In order to investigate the structure-activity relationship and functional region of CRAMP, CRAMP and its 18-mer overlapping peptides were synthesized by the solid phase method. CRAMP showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains (MIC: 3.125-6.25 μM) but had no hemolytic activity until 50 μM. CRAMP was found to have a potent anticancer activity (IC50: 12-23 μM) against two human small cell lung cancer cell lines. Furthermore, CRAMP was found to display faster bactericidal rate in B. subtilis rather than E. coli in the kinetics of bacterial killing. Among 18-meric overlapping fragment peptides, only CRAMP (16-33) displayed potent antibacterial activity (MIC: 12.5-50 μM) against several bacteria with no hemolytic activity. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra anal-ysis indicated that CRAMP and its analogues will form the amphipathic α-helical conformation in the cell membranes similar to other antimicrobial peptides, such as cecropins and magainins.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.77-80
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• 2003

The interaction of mastoparan B, a cationic tetradecapeptide amide isolated from the hornet Vespa basalis, with phospholipid bilayers was studied with synthetic mastoparan B and its analogue with Ala instead of hydrophobic 12th amino acid residue in mastoparan B. MP-B and its derivative, [12-Ala]MP-B were synthesized by the solid-phase peptide synthesis method. MP-B and its analogue, [12-Ala]MP-B adopted an unordered structure in buffer solution. In the presence of neutral and acidic liposomes, the peptides took an $\alpha$-helical structure. The two peptides interacted with neutral and acidic lipid bilayers. These results indicated that the hydrophobic face in the amphipathic $\alpha$-helix of MP-B critically affected the biological activity and helical content.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.96-107
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• 2009

Lactophoricin (LPcin-I) is a cationic amphipathic peptide with 23-mer peptide, and corresponds to the carboxy terminal 113-135 region of Component-3 of proteose-peptone. LPcin-I is a good candidate as a peptide antibiotic, because it has an antibacterial activity, but no hemolytic activity. On the other hand, its shorter analog (LPcin-II), which corresponds to the 119-135 region of PP3, has no antibacterial activity. In order to understand the structure-activity relationship under the membrane environments, we succeed to produce large amounts of LPcin-I and LPcin-II peptides. Peptides were over expressed in the form of fusion protein in Escherichia coli, and purified with several chromatography techniques. In this paper, we introduce the optimizing processes of purification and NMR measurement.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 1997

The mode of action of mastoparan B, an antimicrobial cationic tetradecapeptide amide isolated from the hornet Vespa basalis, toward phospholipid bilayers was studied with synthetic mastoparan B and its analogs with individual Ala instead of hydrophobic amino acids (1-Ile, 3-Leu, 6-Leu, 7-Val, 9-Trp, 13-Val, 14-Leu) in mastoparan B. Mastoparan B and its analogs were synthesized by the solid-phase method. Circular dichroism spectra showed that mastoparan B and its analogs adopted an unordered structure in buffer solution. In the presence of neutral and acidic liposomes, most of the peptides took an α-helical structure. The calcein leakage experiment indicated that mastoparan B interacted strongly with neutral and acidic lipid bilayers than its analogs. Mastoparan B also showed a more or less highly antimicrobial activity and hemolytic activity for human erythrocytes than its analogs. These results indicate that the hydrophobic face in the amphipathic α-helix of mastoparan B critically affect biological activity and helical contents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.737-748
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• 2016

By this time, insect antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been characterized more than 150 peptides since purification of cecropin in the hemolymph of pupae from Hyalophora cecropia in 1980. Therefore, it is considered that insects are good sources of AMP selection. Insect AMPs are small (low molecular weight) and cationic, and amphipathic with variable length, sequence, and structure. They perform a pivotal role on humoral immunity in the insect innate immune system against invading pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Most of the insect AMPs are induced rapidly in the fat bodies and other specific tissues of insects after septic injury or immune challenge. Then the AMPs subsequently released into the hemolymph to act against microorganisms. These peptides have a broad antimicrobial spectrum against various microbes including anticancer activities. Insect AMPs could be divided into four families based on their structures and sequences. That is the α-helical peptides, cysteine-rich peptides, proline-rich peptides, and glycine-rich peptides/proteins. For instance, cecropins, insect defensins, proline-rich peptides, and attacins are common insect AMPs, but gloverins and moricins have been identified only in lepidopteran species. This review focuses on AMPs from insects and discusses current knowledge and recent progress with potential applications of insect AMPs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.460-465
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• 2004

A 16-residue polypeptide model with the sequence acetyl-YALSLAATLLKEAASL-OH was derived by rational de novo peptide design. The designed sequence consists of amino acid residues with high propensity to adopt an alpha helical conformation, and sequential order was arranged to produce an amphipathic surface. The designed sequence was chemically synthesized using a solid-phase method and the polypeptide was purified by reverse-phase liquid chromatography. Molecular mass analysis by electro-spray ionization mass spectroscopy confirmed the correct designed sequence. Structural characterization by circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated that the peptide adopts the expected alpha helical conformation in 50% acetonitrile solution. Liposome binding assay using Small Unilamellar Vesicle (SUV) showed a marked release of entrapped glucose by interaction between the lipid membrane and the tested peptide. The channel-forming activity of the peptide was revealed by a planar lipid bilayer experiment. An analysis of the conducting current at various applied potentials suggested that the peptide forms a cationic ion channel with an intrinsic conductance of 188 pS. These results demonstrate that a simple rational de novo design can be successfully employed to create short peptides with desired structures and functions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1457-1466
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• 2012

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exert antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and viruses by various mechanisms. AMPs commonly possess particular characteristics by harboring cationic and amphipathic structures and binding to cell membranes, resulting in the leakage of essential cell contents by forming pores or disturbing lipid organization. These membrane disruptive mechanisms of AMPs are possible to explain according to the various structure forming pores in the membrane. Some AMPs inhibit DNA and/or RNA synthesis as well as apoptosis induction by reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Specifically, mitochondria play a major role in the apoptotic pathway. During apoptosis induced by AMPs, cells undergo cytochrome c release, caspase activation, phosphatidylserine externalization, plasma or mitochondrial membrane depolarization, DNA and nuclei damage, cell shrinkage, apoptotic body formation, and membrane blebbing. Even AMPs, which have been reported to exert membrane-active mechanisms, induce apoptosis in yeast. These phenomena were also discovered in tumor cells treated with AMPs. The apoptosis mechanism of AMPs is available for various therapeutics such as antibiotics for antibiotic-resistant pathogens that resist to the membrane active mechanism, and antitumor agents with selectivity to tumor cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.561-566
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• 1999

CA(1-8)-ME(1-12) [CA-ME], composed of cecropin A(1-8) and melittin(1-12), is a synthetic antimicrobial peptide having potent antibacterial and antitumor activities with minimal hemolytic activity. In order to investigate the effects of the flexible hinge sequence, Gly-Ile-Gly, of CA-ME on antibiotic activity, CA-ME and three analogues, CA-ME1, CA-ME2, and CA-ME3, were synthesized. The Gly-Ile-Gly sequence of Ca-ME was deleted in CA-ME1 and replaced with Pro and Gly-Pro-Gly in CA-ME2 and CA-ME3, respectively. CA-ME1 and CA-ME3 showed a significant decrease in antitumor activity and phospholipid vesicle-disrupting ability. However, CA-ME2 showed similar antitumor and vesicle-disrupting activities, as compared with CA-ME. These results suggest that the flexibility or ${\beta}$-turn induced by Gly-Ile-Gly or Pro in the central part of CA-ME may be important in the electrostatic interaction of the N-terminus cationic ${\alpha}$-helical region with the cell membrane surface and the hydrophobic interaction of the C-terminus amphipathic ${\alpha}$-helical region with the hydrophobic acyl chains in the cell membrane. CA-ME3 exhibited lower antitumor and vesicle-disrupting activities than CA-ME and CA-ME2. This result suggests that the excessive ${\beta}$-turn structure caused by the Gly-Pro-Gly sequence in CA-ME3 seems to interrupt ion channel/pore formation in the lipid bilayer. We concluded that the appropriate flexibility or bilayer. We concluded that the appropriate flexibility or ${\beta}$-turn structure provided by the central hinge is responsible for the effective antibiotic activity of the antimicrobial peptides with the helix-hinge-helix structure.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.262-269
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• 2019

The porcine myeloid antimicrobial peptide (PMAP), one of the cathelicidin family members, contains small cationic peptides with amphipathic properties. We used a putative lysozyme originated from the bacteriophage P22 (P22 lysozyme) as a fusion partner, which was connected to the N-terminus of the PMAP36 peptide, to markedly increase the expression levels of recombinant PMAP36. The PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein with high solubility was produced in Escherichia coli. The final purified yield was approximately 1.8 mg/L. The purified PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis). Furthermore, we estimated its hemolytic activity against pig erythrocytes as 6% at the high concentration ($128{\mu}M$) of the PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein. Compared with the PMAP36 peptide (12%), our fusion protein exhibited half of the hemolytic activity. Overall, our recombinant PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein sustained the antimicrobial activity with the lower hemolytic activity associated with the synthetic PMAP36 peptide. This study suggests that the PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion system could be a crucial addition to the plethora of novel antimicrobials.