Antimicrobial peptides and alytesin are co-secreted from the venom of the Midwife toad, Alytes maurus (Alytidae, Anura): Implications for the evolution of frog skin defensive secretions

► We present the first molecular data for the skin venom of Midwife toads, in particular from Alytes maurus. ► We identified alytesin and four novel peptides with antimicrobial activity from a secretion-derived cDNA library. ► The identified novel peptides can be classified as alyteserins. ► Our data shows structural resemblance of the alyteserin genes from A. maurus with those of three different Bombina species.