Lynn, David J. and Higgs, Rowan and Gaines, Susan and Tierney, Joanna and James, Tharappel and Lloyd, Andrew T. and Fares, Mario A. and Mulcahy, Grace and O'Farrelly, Cliona (2004) Bioinformatic discovery and initial characterisation of nine novel antimicrobial peptide genes in the chicken. Immunogenetics, 56 (3). pp. 170-176.

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Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of innate immunity in a range of species fromDrosophila to humans and are generally thought to act by disrupting the membrane integrity of microbes. In order to discover novel AMPs in the chicken, we have implemented a bioinformatic approach that involves the clustering of more than 420,000 chicken expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Similarity searching of proteins' predicted to be encoded by these EST clusters for homology to known AMPs has resulted in the in silico identification of full-length sequences for seven novel gallinacins (Gal-4 to Gal-10), a novel cathelicidin and a novel liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP-2) in the chicken. Differential gene expression of these novel genes has been demonstrated across a panel of chicken tissues. An evolutionary analysis of the gallinacin family has detected sites primarily in the mature AMP that are under positive selection in these molecules. The functional implications of these results are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Chicken . Defensins . Antimicrobial peptide . Innate immune system
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology
Item ID:	319
Depositing User:	Dr. Mario Fares
Date Deposited:	23 Sep 2008
Journal or Publication Title:	Immunogenetics
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.springerlink.com/(201n5m55hek...
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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