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Molecular Characterisation of a Novel Isoform of Hepatic Antimicrobial Peptide, Hepcidin (Le-Hepc), from Leiognathus equulus and Analysis of Its Functional Properties In Silico

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Abstract

Hepcidin represents a family of cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides that are mainly expressed in the liver of living organisms. In this study, we have identified and characterised a novel isoform of hepcidin from the common pony fish, Leiognathus equulus (Le-Hepc). A 261-bp fragment cDNA coding for 86 amino acids was obtained. Homologous analysis showed that Le-Hepc belongs to the hepcidin super family and shares sequence identity with other known fish pre-propeptide hepcidin sequences. The ORF encodes for a 24-amino acid (aa) signal peptide coupled to a 36-aa prodomain followed by a 26-aa mature peptide. The mature peptide region has a calculated molecular weight of 2.73 kDa, a net positive charge of +2 and a theoretical pI of 8.23. Phylogenetic analysis of Le-Hepc showed a strong relationship with other fish hepcidin sequences and clustered into HAMP2 group hepcidins. Secondary structural analysis indicated that Le-Hepc mature peptide contains two antiparallel β-sheets strengthened by four disulphide bonds formed by eight conserved cysteine residues. The physicochemical properties of the peptide and its structural parameters are in agreement with characteristic features of an antimicrobial peptide. This is the first report of an antimicrobial peptide from the common pony fish, L. equulus.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Director, Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India, for the research grant (MoES/10-MLR/01/2012) and scientific support for the work. The authors also thank the Coordinator, National Centre for Aquatic and Animal Health (NCAAH), for scientific support. The first author gratefully acknowledges UGC-BSR (University Grant Commission-Basic Scientific Research) for the award of a fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi, Kerala, 682016, India

    Aishwarya Nair, K. S. Sruthy, E. R. Chaithanya & Rosamma Philip

  2. National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, 16, India

    T. P. Sajeevan & I. S. Bright Singh

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  1. Aishwarya Nair
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  2. K. S. Sruthy
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  3. E. R. Chaithanya
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  4. T. P. Sajeevan
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  5. I. S. Bright Singh
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  6. Rosamma Philip
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Correspondence to Rosamma Philip.

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The study was funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India (MoES/10-MLR/01/2012).

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Aishwarya Nair, Sruthy K. S., Chaithanya E.R., Sajeevan T.P., I. S. Bright Singh and Rosamma Philip declare that they have no conflict of interest.

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Nair, A., Sruthy, K.S., Chaithanya, E.R. et al. Molecular Characterisation of a Novel Isoform of Hepatic Antimicrobial Peptide, Hepcidin (Le-Hepc), from Leiognathus equulus and Analysis of Its Functional Properties In Silico. Probiotics & Antimicro. Prot. 9, 473–482 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12602-017-9294-6

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