PROSITE documentation PDOC00241Cecropin family signature
Cecropins [1,2,3] are potent antibacterial proteins that constitute a main part of the cell-free immunity of insects. Cecropins are small proteins of about 35 amino acid residues active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. They seem to exert a lytic action on bacterial membranes.
Cecropins isolated from insects other than Cecropia have been given various names: bactericidin, lepidopteran, sarcotoxin, etc. All of these peptides are structurally related. Cecropin P1, an intestinal antibacterial peptide from pig, also belongs to this family.
As a signature pattern for this family of active peptides, we selected a conserved region in the N-terminal section of cecropins.
Last update:April 2006 / Pattern revised.
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PROSITE method (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:
| 1 | Authors | Boman H.G. Hultmark D. |
| Title | Cell-free immunity in insects. | |
| Source | Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 41:103-126(1987). | |
| PubMed ID | 3318666 | |
| DOI | 10.1146/annurev.mi.41.100187.000535 |
| 2 | Authors | Boman H.G. |
| Title | Antibacterial peptides: key components needed in immunity. | |
| Source | Cell 65:205-207(1991). | |
| PubMed ID | 2015623 |
| 3 | Authors | Boman H.G. Faye I. Gudmundsson G.H. Lee J.-Y. Lidholm D.A. |
| Title | Cell-free immunity in Cecropia. A model system for antibacterial proteins. | |
| Source | Eur. J. Biochem. 201:23-31(1991). | |
| PubMed ID | 1915368 |
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