Cathelicidins: a novel protein family with a common proregion and a variable C-terminal antimicrobial domain

M Zanetti, R Gennaro, D Romeo - FEBS letters, 1995 - Elsevier
M Zanetti, R Gennaro, D Romeo
FEBS letters, 1995Elsevier
A novel protein family, showing a conserved proregion and a variable C-terminal
antimicrobial domain, and named0 cathelicidin, has been identified in mammalian myeloid
cells. The conserved proregion shows sequence similarity to members of the cystatin
superfamily of cysteine proteinase inhibitors. Cathelicidins are stored in the cytoplasmic
granules of neutrophil leukocytes and release the antimicrobial peptides upon leukocyte
activation. Some of these peptides can assume an α-helical conformation, others contain …
A novel protein family, showing a conserved proregion and a variable C-terminal antimicrobial domain, and named0 cathelicidin, has been identified in mammalian myeloid cells. The conserved proregion shows sequence similarity to members of the cystatin superfamily of cysteine proteinase inhibitors. Cathelicidins are stored in the cytoplasmic granules of neutrophil leukocytes and release the antimicrobial peptides upon leukocyte activation. Some of these peptides can assume an α-helical conformation, others contain one or two disulfide bonds, still others are Pro- and Arg-rich, or Trp-rich. In addition to bacterial killing, some of these peptides exert additional functions related to host defense such as LPS-neutralization and promotion of wound healing.
Elsevier