1985 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Development of antibacterial drugs based on insect antibacteria proteins
| Project/Area Number |
58870113
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Developmental Scientific Research
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Biological pharmacy
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
1983 – 1985
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| Keywords | antibacterial protein / sarcotoxin I / antibacterial drug / Sarcophaga peregrina / membrane potential / ionophore / イオノフォア / バクテリア |
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| Research Abstract |
Sarcotoxin I is a potent antibacterial protein induced in the hemolymph of Sarcophaga peregrina larvae when their body wall was pricked with a hypodermic needle. We purified this protein to homogeneity and found that it consists of three proteins termed sarcotoxin IA, IB and IC having almost identical primary structure. Each component was purified to homogeneity and its amino acid sequence was determined. It was found that each protein consists of 39 amino acid residues and difference among three proteins is in only 2 - 3 amino acid residues.
Primary site of sarcotoxin I was shown to be bacterial membrane. On addition of sarcotoxin I to E. coli, mimbrane potential of E. coli disappeared almost instantaneously, resulting in the loss of active transport and ATP generation. A cDNA clone for sarcotoxin IA has been isolated.
In summary, we concluded that sarcotoxin I is a very useful substance and there are many applications of this substance including antibacterial drugs.
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