Myticin, a novel cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide isolated from haemocytes and plasma of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

We report here the isolation of two isoforms of a novel cysteine-rich peptide from haemocytes (isoform A of 4.438 Da and B of 4.562 Da) and plasma (isoform A) of the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. The two molecules display antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria, whereas only isoform B is active against the fungus Fusarium oxysporum and a gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli D31. Complete peptide sequences were determined by a combination of Edman degradation, mass spectrometry and cDNA cloning using a haemocyte cDNA library. The mature molecules, named myticins, comprise 40 residues with four intramolecular disulfide bridges and a cysteine array in the primary structure different to that of the previously characterized cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides. Sequence analysis of the cloned cDNAs revealed that myticin precursors consist of 96 amino acids with a putative signal peptide of 20 amino acids, the antimicrobial peptide sequence and a 36-residue C-terminal extension. This structure suggests that myticins are synthesized as preproproteins and then processed by various proteolytic events before storage of the active peptide in the haemocytes. Myticin precursors are expressed mainly in the haemocytes as revealed by Northern blot analysis.