Casteels P, Ampe C, Jacobs F, Vaeck M, Tempst P
Plant Genetic Systems, NV, Belgium.
EMBO J. 1989 Aug;8(8):2387-91. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1989.tb08368.x.
Although insects lack the basic entities of the vertebrate immune system, such as lymphocytes and immunoglobulins, they have developed alternative defence mechanisms against infections. Different types of peptide factors, exhibiting bactericidal activity, have been detected in some insect species. These humoral factors are induced upon infection. The present report describes the discovery of the apidaecins, isolated from lymph fluid of the honeybee (Apis mellifera). The apidaecins represent a new family of inducible peptide antibiotics with the following basic structure: GNNRP(V/I)YIPQPRPPHPR(L/I). These heat-stable, non-helical peptides are active against a wide range of plant-associated bacteria and some human pathogens, through a bacteriostatic rather than a lytic process. Chemically synthesized apidaecins display the same bactericidal activity as their natural counterparts. While only active antibacterial peptides are detectable in adult honeybee lymph, bee larvae contain considerable amounts of inactive precursor molecules.
尽管昆虫缺乏脊椎动物免疫系统的基本组成部分，如淋巴细胞和免疫球蛋白，但它们已经发展出了针对感染的替代防御机制。在一些昆虫物种中，已经检测到了具有杀菌活性的不同类型的肽因子。这些体液因子在感染时被诱导产生。本报告描述了从蜜蜂（Apis mellifera）淋巴液中分离出的蜜蜂防御素的发现。蜜蜂防御素代表了一类新的可诱导肽抗生素，其基本结构如下：GNNRP(V/I)YIPQPRPPHPR(L/I)。这些热稳定的非螺旋肽通过抑菌而非裂解过程，对多种植物相关细菌和一些人类病原体具有活性。化学合成的蜜蜂防御素与天然的具有相同的杀菌活性。虽然在成年蜜蜂淋巴中只能检测到活性抗菌肽，但蜜蜂幼虫含有大量无活性的前体分子。
