Lucifensin, the long-sought antimicrobial factor of medicinal maggots of the blowfly Lucilia sericata

0342382 - ÚOCHB 2011 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Čeřovský, Václav - Žďárek, Jan - Fučík, Vladimír - Monincová, Lenka - Voburka, Zdeněk - Bém, R.
Lucifensin, the long-sought antimicrobial factor of medicinal maggots of the blowfly Lucilia sericata.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. Roč. 67, č. 3 (2010), s. 455-466. ISSN 1420-682X. E-ISSN 1420-9071
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA203/08/0536
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506
Keywords : antimicrobial peptide * insect defensin * Lucilia sericata * Maggot therapy
Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry
Impact factor: 7.047, year: 2010

A novel homolog of insect defensin designated lucifensin (Lucilia defensin) was purified from the extracts of various tissues of the green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) larvae and from their excretions/secretions. The primary sequence of this peptide of 40 residues and three intramolecular disulfide bridges was determined by ESI-QTOF mass spectrometry and Edman degradation. It is proposed that lucifensin is that long-sought larger molecular weight antimicrobial factor of the Lucilia sericata excretions/secretions supposed to be effective against pathogenic elements of the wound microbial flora during the medicinal process known as maggot therapy.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0185130