Solution structure and functional studies of the highly potent equine antimicrobial peptide DEFA1.

Defensins are small effector molecules of the innate immune system that are present in almost all organisms including plants and animals. These peptides possess antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microbes including bacteria, fungi and viruses and act as endogenous antibiotics. α-Defensins are a subfamily of the defensin family and their expression is limited to specific tissues.