Preliminary Identification and Characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides from the Skin of Rana amurensis Based on Transcriptome Sequencing
TL;DR
Investigation of how the skin of Rana amurensis, a frog native to northeastern Asia, responds when exposed to a common disease-causing bacterium revealed that the skin of these frogs contains an internal alarm system—a set of pathways involved in recognizing pathogens and mounting immune defenses.
Abstract
Simple Summary The skin of amphibians is an important barrier against harmful microbes, yet much remains to be learned about how it combats infection. In this study, we investigated how the skin of Rana amurensis, a frog native to northeastern Asia, responds when exposed to a common disease-causing bacterium. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the skin of these frogs contains an internal alarm system—a set of pathways involved in recognizing pathogens and mounting immune defenses. Furthermore, we used computational tools to search the transcriptome data for candidate antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by the skin. In total, 151 candidate AMP sequences were identified; six of these were selected based on sequence characteristics, evolutionary conservation, and physicochemical properties, and three were synthesized and exhibited antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens. These findings improve our understanding of skin defense in R. amurensis and provide a resource for future studies of amphibian antimicrobial peptides.