The discovery and functional assessment of novel peptide QUB-2686 from Red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis callidryas

Novel peptides with pharmacological activities are constantly being discovered in amphibian skin secretions. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify a novel peptide with bioactive function, which would contribute to the development of new drugs. <br>In this thesis, a novel peptide named QUB-2686 has been identified from Agalychnis callidryas through ‘shotgun’ cloning.

The synthesis of novel peptide was carried out by Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis technology. After purification and authentication of the synthetic replication of QUB-2686 by reserve phase HPLC and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, QUB-2686 was subjected to functional tests and it was found to have potent anticancer effect (cell viability percentage lower than 50% at concentration of 10-5M) on lung cancer H157 cell line (ATCC-CRL-5802), and moderate anticancer activity on breast cancer cell line MCF-7 (ATCC-HTB-22), prostate cancer cell line PC3 (ATCC-CRL-1435), human neuronal glioblastoma cell line U251MG (ECACC-09063001), but rather weak antimicrobial activity against E. coli (NCTC.10418), C. albicans (NCTC.1467) and S. aureus (NCTC.10788).