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Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids
Published on: May 4, 2018
Antimicrobial action of achacin is mediated by L-amino acid oxidase activity
Tatsuya Ehara1, Seiji Kitajima, Nobuyuki Kanzawa
1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, 102-8554, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
Achacin is an antibacterial glycoprotein purified from the mucus of the giant snail, Achatina fulica Férussac, as a humoral defense factor. We showed that achacin has L-amino acid oxidase activity and can generate cytotoxic H(2)O(2); however, the concentration of H(2)O(2) was not sufficient to kill bacteria. The antibacterial activity of achacin was inhibited by various H(2)O(2) scavengers. Immunochemical analysis revealed that achacin was preferentially bound to growth-phase bacteria, accounting for the important role in growth-phase-dependent antibacterial activity of achacin. Achacin may act as an important defense molecule against invading bacteria.
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