Cloning and Functional Analysis of Skin Host Defense Peptides from Yakushima Tago's Brown Frog () and Development of Serum Endotoxin Detection System.

Amphibian skin is a valuable source of host defense peptides (HDPs). This study aimed to identify HDPs with novel amino acid sequences from the skin of and analyze their functions. cDNAs encoding HDP precursors were cloned and sequenced using RT-PCR and 3'-RACE.

Molecular Cloning, Expression Analyses, and Physiological Roles of Cathelicidins in the Bursa of Fabricius of the Japanese Quail, .

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) act directly on pathogens and maintain the anti-inflammatory effects and activation of immunocompetent cells. Therefore, the activation of the immune system in poultry via the elevation of endogenous AMPs has been attempted. In this study, we focused on the host defense mechanisms in the bursa of Fabricius (BF) of Japanese quail, cloned the cDNA of cathelicidin (CATH)-1 to -3, and analyzed their expression sites.

Cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult telencephalon of the newt Cynops pyrrhogaster.

Urodele amphibians have the ability to regenerate several organs, including the brain. For this reason, the research on neurogenesis in these species after ablation of some parts of the brain has markedly progressed. However, detailed information on the characteristics and fate of proliferated cells as well as the function of newly generated neurons under normal conditions is still limited.

Dual Roles of Extracellular Histone H3 in Host Defense: Its Differential Regions Responsible for Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Properties and Their Modes of Action.

Extracellular histones play a dual role-antimicrobial and cytotoxic-in host defense. In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of histone H3 and identified the responsible molecular regions for these properties. Broth microdilution assays indicated that histone H3 exhibits growth inhibitory activity against not only Gram-negative and -positive bacteria but also fungi.

Antimicrobial Property and Mode of Action of the Skin Peptides of the Sado Wrinkled Frog, against Animal and Plant Pathogens.

The Sado wrinkled frog has recently been classified as a new frog species endemic to Sado Island, Japan. In this study, we cloned 12 cDNAs encoding the biosynthetic precursors for brevinin-2SSa-2SSd, esculentin-2SSa, ranatuerin-2SSa, brevinin-1SSa-1SSd, granuliberin-SSa, and bradykinin-SSa from the skin of . Among these antimicrobial peptides, we focused on brevinin-2SSb, ranatuerin-2SSa, and granuliberin-SSa, using their synthetic replicates to examine their activities against different reference strains of pathogenic microorganisms that infect animals and plants.