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PROSITE documentation PDOC00242 |
Defensins [1,2,3,4,5], also known as α-defensins, are a family of structurally related cysteine-rich peptides active against many Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. Some defensins are also called corticostatins (CS) because they inhibit corticotropin-stimulated corticosteroid production. Defensins kills cells by forming voltage-regulated multimeric channels in the susceptible cell's membrane. They play a significant role in innate immunity to infection and neoplasia. The peptides known to belong to this family are listed below.
All these peptides range in length from 29 to 35 amino acids. There are seven invariant residues, including six cysteines all involved in intrachain disulfide bonds. A schematic representation of peptides from the defensin family is shown below.
+----------------------------+ |****************************| xxCxCxxxxxCxxxxxxxGxCxxxxxxxxxCCxx | | | | +-----|---------+ | +-------------------+
'C': conserved cysteine involved in a disulfide bond. '*': position of the pattern.
Our pattern is based on the conserved residues.
Last update:May 2004 / Text revised.
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PROSITE method (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:
1 | Authors | Lehrer R.I. Ganz T. Selsted M.E. |
Source | ASM News 56:315-318(1990). |
2 | Authors | Lehrer R.I. Ganz T. Selsted M.E. |
Title | Defensins: endogenous antibiotic peptides of animal cells. | |
Source | Cell 64:229-230(1991). | |
PubMed ID | 1988144 |
3 | Authors | Kagan B.L. Ganz T. Lehrer R.I. |
Title | Defensins: a family of antimicrobial and cytotoxic peptides. | |
Source | Toxicology 87:131-149(1994). | |
PubMed ID | 7512758 |
4 | Authors | Lehrer R.I. Lichtenstein A.K. Ganz T. |
Title | Defensins: antimicrobial and cytotoxic peptides of mammalian cells. | |
Source | Annu. Rev. Immunol. 11:105-128(1993). | |
PubMed ID | 8476558 | |
DOI | 10.1146/annurev.iy.11.040193.000541 |
5 | Authors | White S.H. Wimley W.C. Selsted M.E. |
Title | Structure, function, and membrane integration of defensins. | |
Source | Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 5:521-527(1995). | |
PubMed ID | 8528769 |