A novel defensin-like antimicrobial peptide from the skin secretions of the tree frog, Theloderma kwangsiensis

• Identified a novel defensin (defensin-TK) from tree frog skin secretions
• Defensin-TK had potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.
• Defensin-TK exerted a low hemolytic activity on human red cells.

Defensins are one of the major families of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and have been reported from prokaryotic to eukaryotic kingdoms. But defensins are seldom found in amphibian which is a major resource of novel AMPs. A novel defensin-like AMP (defensin-TK) was isolated and characterized from skin secretions of the tree frog Theloderma kwangsiensis. The cDNA encoding defensin-TK precursor was cloned from the skin cDNA library of T. kwangsiensis. The deduced precursor of defensin-TK was composed of three domains, a signal peptide of 16 residues, a spacer peptide of 1 residues and a mature peptide of 42 residues. The mature peptide of defensin-TK shared the highest identity with the salamander (Cynops fudingensis) defensin CFBD-1. The six conserved cysteines which formed intramolecular disulfide bonds of defensins also exist in defensin-TK. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that defensin-TK was closely related to fish β-defensins. Defensin-TK showed potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. In addition, defensin-TK exerted a low hemolytic activity on human red cells. These results suggested defensin-TK might play an important role in defense the skin pathogenic microbes of tree frog T. kwangsiensis, and might be a promising candidate for development of novel antimicrobial agents.