Y. Tsuji et al., Identification and characterization of an antibacterial peptide of the 26-kDa protease of Sarcophaga peregrina with antibacterial activity, J BIOCHEM, 130(2), 2001, pp. 313-318
Previously, we purified a serine protease with a molecular mass of 26 kDa t
hat exhibits potent antibacterial activity from a pupal extract of Sarcopha
ga peregrina (flesh fly). We divided this protease into 12 peptides and exa
mined their antibacterial activity. A peptide corresponding to residues 155
to 174 (peptide 9) was found to exhibit antibacterial activity comparable
to that of the 26-kDa protease. When Escherichia coli was treated with pept
ide 9, the permeability of both the outer and inner membranes increased, an
d substrates for beta -lactamase and beta -galactosidase entered the cells,
but beta -galactosidase did not leak out of the cells under these conditio
ns. It was suggested that residues 6 to 18 of peptide 9 form an amphiphilic
a-helix under hydrophobic conditions with an N-terminal basic loop and the
n interact with acidic phospholipids in the bacterial membranes.