Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Protein WISDOM: A Workbench for In silico De novo Design of BioMolecules
10:58

Protein WISDOM: A Workbench for In silico De novo Design of BioMolecules

Published on: July 25, 2013

Mouse beta-defensin-14, an antimicrobial ortholog of human beta-defensin-3

Kerstin Hinrichsen1, Rainer Podschun, Sabine Schubert

  • 1University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Department of Dermatology, Campus Kiel, Schittenhelmstr. 7, 24105 Kiel, Germany.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|March 12, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Mouse beta-defensin-14 (mBD-14) is the functional counterpart of human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3). This antimicrobial peptide shows broad-spectrum activity and its expression is regulated by specific cytokines.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3) is a key antimicrobial peptide.
  • Identifying functional orthologs in other species aids comparative studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the mouse homolog of hBD-3.
  • To characterize the antimicrobial activity and regulation of the identified mouse ortholog.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic search for homologous sequences.
  • Recombinant protein expression and purification.
  • Microbicidal activity assays.
  • Gene expression analysis in keratinocytes.

Main Results:

  • Mouse beta-defensin-14 (mBD-14) showed 69% identity to hBD-3.
  • Recombinant mBD-14 demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity at nanomolar concentrations.
  • Gamma interferon and transforming growth factor alpha upregulated mBD-14 gene expression.

Conclusions:

  • mBD-14 is identified as the functional ortholog of hBD-3 in mice.
  • mBD-14 possesses potent antimicrobial properties.
  • Cytokine signaling pathways regulate mBD-14 expression in keratinocytes.

More Related Videos

Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins08:39

Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins

Published on: December 24, 2017

Creating and Applying a Reference to Facilitate the Discussion and Classification of Proteins in a Diverse Group07:49

Creating and Applying a Reference to Facilitate the Discussion and Classification of Proteins in a Diverse Group

Published on: August 16, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...