The discovery and bioactivity evaluation of a novel peptide, QUB-2652, from the skin secretion of the South American frog, Phyllomedusa palliata

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from amphibian skin secretions possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities through the mechanism that is unlikely to induce antibiotic resistance. Thus, AMPs are great candidates for new antibiotics. <br>In this study, the precursor-encoding cDNA sequence of QUB-2652 was identified in the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa palliata by ‘Shotgun’ cloning.

Then, QUB-2652 was synthesised by solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) according to its translated putative mature peptide sequence. After authenticated by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation Time-of-flight mass spectrometry and purified by Reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, the pure QUB-2652 was finally subjected to some functional tests. <br>According to the BLAST analysis, QUB-2652 showed high sequence similarity with dermaseptins.