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Identification and characterization of two dermorphins from skin extracts of the Amazonian frog Phyllomedusa bicolor
Author(s) -
Mignogna Giuseppina,
Severini Cinzia,
Simmaco Maurizio,
Negri Lucia,
Erspamer Giuliana Falconieri,
Kreil Günther,
Barra Donatella
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(92)80427-i
Subject(s) - dermorphin , frog skin , subfamily , amino acid , stereochemistry , biology , peptide sequence , peptide , opioid peptide , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biochemistry , receptor , opioid , gene , organic chemistry , sodium
Skin extracts of South American hylid frogs of the subfamily Phyllomedusinae contain dermorphins and deltorphins, opioid heptapeptides highly selective for either μ or δ receptors. In all these peptides, a d ‐amino acid is present in the second position. The structure of the precursors for Ala‐deltorphins was recently deduced from cloned cDNAs derived from skin of Phyllomedusa bicolor (Richter et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 4836–4839). From the amino acid sequence of these precursors, the existence of three peptides related to dermorphin could be predicted. From methanol extracts of skin of Ph. bicolor we have isolated two of these peptides. [Lys 7 ]dermorphin‐OH and [Trp 4 ,Asn 7 ]dermorphin‐OH. The biological activity of these new dermorphins and their amidated counterparts is presented.