F
IPR000875

Cecropin

InterPro entry
Short nameCecropin
family relationships

Description

Cecropins
[1, 2, 3]
are potent antibacterial proteins that constitute a main part of the cell-free immunity of insects. Cecropins are small proteins of about 35 amino acid residues active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. They seem to exert a lytic action on bacterial membranes. Cecropins have been given various names, including bactericidin, lepidopteran and sarcotoxin. All of these peptides are structurally related.

This entry also includes the antibacterial protein andropin. The andropin gene is closely linked to the cecropin gene cluster of Drosophila melanogaster
[4, 5]
.

References

1.Cell-free immunity in insects. Boman HG, Hultmark D. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 41, 103-26, (1987). View articlePMID: 3318666

2.Antibacterial peptides: key components needed in immunity. Boman HG. Cell 65, 205-7, (1991). View articlePMID: 2015623

3.Cell-free immunity in Cecropia. A model system for antibacterial proteins. Boman HG, Faye I, Gudmundsson GH, Lee JY, Lidholm DA. Eur. J. Biochem. 201, 23-31, (1991). View articlePMID: 1915368

4.Rapid evolution of the male-specific antibacterial protein andropin gene in Drosophila. Date-Ito A, Kasahara K, Sawai H, Chigusa SI. J. Mol. Evol. 54, 665-70, (2002). View articlePMID: 11965438

5.The andropin gene and its product, a male-specific antibacterial peptide in Drosophila melanogaster. Samakovlis C, Kylsten P, Kimbrell DA, Engstrom A, Hultmark D. EMBO J. 10, 163-9, (1991). PMID: 1899226

GO terms

molecular function

  • None

Cross References

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