FALL-39, a putative human peptide antibiotic, is cysteine-free and expressed in bone marrow and testis.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.92.1.195
• Publication Date: 2006-05-31T13:09:12Z
• Authors: B Agerberth; H Gunne; J Odeberg; P Kogner; H G Boman; G H Gudmundsson
• Keywords: Bacillus megaterium

PR-39, a proline/arginine-rich peptide antibiotic, has been purified from pig intestine and later shown to originate in the bone marrow. Intending isolate clone for human counterpart we synthesized PCR probe derived PR-39 gene. However, when this was used screen marrow cDNA library, eight clones were obtained with information another putative designated FALL-39 after first four residues. is 39-residue lacking cysteine tryptophan. All antibiotics previously isolated (or predicted) belong defensin family contain three disulfide bridges. The prepro-FALL-39 encodes cathelin-like precursor protein 170 amino acid We have postulated dibasic processing site mature chemically peptide. In basal medium E, synthetic highly active against Escherichia coli Bacillus megaterium. Residues 13-34 can be predicted form perfect amphiphatic helix, CD spectra showed that E induced 30% helix formation FALL-39. RNA blot analyses disclosed gene expressed mainly testis.