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Peptide-Based Drug Design

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Bioactive <strong>Peptide</strong>s in Invertebrate Immune Systems 11<br />

when collecting natural samples for the isolation of bioactive peptides playing a<br />

function in immune defenses.<br />

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a handbook for (1) induction<br />

of an immune state, (2) extraction, (3) purification, and (4) characterization<br />

(primary structure and biological properties) of immune-defense peptides<br />

(with a special reference to AMPs) from invertebrates. The methods detailed<br />

in this contribution are adapted to the extraction of immune factors from<br />

hemocytes, epithelial tissues, and hemolymph including small individuals such<br />

as Drosophila. Methods are largely based on those we used for the isolation<br />

and characterization of Drosophila immune-induced effectors (19,20). Methods<br />

reported in this contribution are also derived/updated/optimized from those<br />

reported for the identification and characterization of AMPs from noninsect<br />

arthropods and other invertebrates (22). Purification methods (liquid chromatography)<br />

and characterization (MALDI- and ESI-MS, MS/MS [tandem MS or<br />

MS n ], Edman sequencing, enzymatic digestions) strategies are based on the<br />

common physicochemical properties of defense peptides from the immune<br />

system, in particular on their relatively high hydrophobicity, cationic character<br />

at physiological pH, and short length (mostly below 10 kDa). Finally, structure<br />

determination techniques appropriate for the full characterization of immune<br />

factors are given together with a brief description of well-recognized antimicrobial<br />

assays (antibacterial and antifungal) when the immune effectors are<br />

members of the AMP armamentarium.<br />

2. Materials<br />

2.1. Animals<br />

2.1.1. Unchallenged Animals<br />

Wild or bred laboratory individuals or animals from breeding farms at the<br />

same developmental stage (larvae or adults) with a similar size.<br />

2.1.2. Experimentally Infected Individuals<br />

1. Living or heat-killed bacteria: Gram-positive and Gram-negative ATCC strains.<br />

2. Spores from a filamentous fungus (Pasteur Collection or private collections) or a<br />

yeast strain.<br />

3. Lipopolysaccharides or peptidoglycans (Sigma, St. Louis, MO).<br />

4. Infection with parasites: e.g., Crithidia species (23), Leishmania major (24).<br />

5. Standard nutrient media for bacterial (Luria Broth Miller, Muller-Hinton Broth)<br />

and fungal growth (Sabouraud, yeast culture media).

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