Abstract:
A new family of linear antimicrobial peptide from hagfish intestine is described. This invention relates to proteins with antimicrobial properties isolated from hagfish intestine and their corresponding chemical sequences. The antibiotics obtained include, but are not limited to, peptides having a sequence selected from the group consisting of: ##STR1##

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/000,325 filed on Jun. 19, 1995. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, the quest for new antibiotics has led to the discovery of a variety of naturally occurring substances, including peptides like the insect cecropins, mammalian defensins, frog magainins, and aminosterols like squalamine from dogfish shark. Only a small fraction of the vast diversity of existing species has been explored, but the need for antibiotics with limited toxicity and ready availability continues. Thus, there remains a need for antibiotics from other sources. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides an unknown family of peptides with antimicrobial activity, isolated from a primitive vertebrate, the hagfish. The invention includes proteins isolated from hagfish intestine with antimicrobial properties as well as the chemical sequences of the peptides. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated in and constitutes a part of this specification, illustrates one embodiment of the invention and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 provides a graph showing the mass spectrum of the tripeptide of Ala-Trp(Br)-Arg upon trypsinization of HFIAP-1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     To provide the unknown family of peptides of the claimed invention, the present inventors investigated the Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa. The hagfish, a jawless vertebrate, is the most primitive vertebrate in existence today and lacks circulating lymphocytes and classical immunoglobulins. Moreover, it feeds by scavenging, thus exposing itself to a whole host of pathogens. Nonetheless, hagfish effectively defend against many pathogens. 
     As described below, the present inventors have discovered the existence of an unknown family of antibiotic peptides that apparently serve to protect the hagfish. As used herein, antibiotic peptides refer to a sequence of amino acids that demonstrate the ability to kill or disable microorganisms such as bacteria (gram-positive and gram-negative), fungi, and protozoa. An effective amount of such antibiotics provides an amount sufficient to produce a detectable and beneficial reduction in the number of microorganisms. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     To screen hagfish organ systems for the presence of antibiotic peptides, the inventors sacrificed 100 Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa, obtained from Huntsman Marine Science Center and dissected the organs on ice. The organs, specifically, liver and gall bladder, stomach, intestine, skin and eggs, were frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen and then stored in plastic bags in a freezer maintained at -70° C. until further analysis. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     To extract peptides, we used the organic solvents CH 3  CN/1% TFA and the Folch extraction methodology. We then purified the extracts to homogeneity using a scheme involving size exclusion chromatography with Biogel P30, strong cation exchange chromatography with Polysulfoethylaspartamide, and RPHPLC with C4, C8, and C18 stationary phases. Applying the purified extracts to bacterial lawns of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureas demonstrated that the intestinal tissue was rich in antimicrobial activity. 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     The purified extracts were sequenced by conventional AAA and Edman sequencing methods (Table 1). Chemical sequencing revealed three closely related cationic/amphipathic peptides, each with 2 residues that could not be identified initially by these sequencing methods. After 37 cycles of automated Edman sequencing, peptides 1 and 2 (SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2 respectively) yielded identical primary structures, although the PTH-residues at positions 7 and 32 were not known. The parent masses, determined by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), are consistent with the primary structure determined by Edman sequencing, where positions 7 and 32 are tryptophan and either one or both are substituted with bromine. Peptide 3 (SEQ ID NO: 3) shows 73% homology with peptides 1 and 2 (SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2, respectively). The most abundant peptide (Table 1, peptide 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1)) was proteolyzed with AspN endopeptidase and then reduced and alkyated. The chemical sequence of these fragments did not contain cysteine, but did reveal UV absorption bands similar to tryptophan, although red-shifted. 
     
                                           TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________Chemical Sequences of Hagfish Intestinal Antimicrobial PeptidesPeptide                                Mass__________________________________________________________________________##STR2##                          4643.32##STR3##                          4564.03##STR4##                          3551.9__________________________________________________________________________ 
    
     EXAMPLE 4 
     To determine the identity of the unknown residues, peptide 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) was trypsinized, the fragments separated, and the unknown fragment was identified by UV chromophore and mass. A tripeptide containing the unknown residue flanked by alanine and arginine was isolated and subjected to tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The unknown residue was identified as bromo-tryptophane, based both on the peptide&#39;s fragmentation pattern and the isotopic distribution (FIG. 1). Ala-Trp(5-Br)-Arg prepared by chemical synthesis exhibited the same fragmentation profile by MS--MS and similar UV spectrum. 
     EXAMPLE 5 
     To complete and confirm the peptide sequences, the present inventors created a cDNA library made from hagfish intestinal mRNA that was probed with an oligonucleotide probe based on the homology between peptides 1 and 2 (SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2, respectively). DNA sequencing indicated triplet codons for tryptophan at the positions for which the Edman sequencing was initially ambiguous. The presence of a glycine codon following the mature sequence suggested that the native peptide might be amidated at the carboxy terminus. 
     EXAMPLE 6 
     Chemical synthesis of the sequence (SEQ ID NO. 4) corresponding to Peptides 1 and 2 (SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2 respectively) containing native (unmodified) tryptophan was achieved by SPPS, using Fmoc chemistry. Antibiotic activity was measured against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans and, using standard methodology, yielded minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 8, 8, 8, and &gt;256 μg/ml, respectively. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. 
     
         __________________________________________________________________________SEQUENCE LISTING(1) GENERAL INFORMATION:(iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 4(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:(A) LENGTH: 37 amino acids(B) TYPE: amino acid(C) STRANDEDNESS: single(D) TOPOLOGY: linear(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide(ix) FEATURE:(A) NAME/KEY: Region(B) LOCATION: 7(D) OTHER INFORMATION: Note= &#34;Xaa is Brominated Tryptophan&#34;(ix) FEATURE:(A) NAME/KEY: Region(B) LOCATION: 32(C) OTHER INFORMATION: Note= &#34;Xaa is Brominated Tryptophan&#34;(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1:GlyPhePheLysLysAlaXaaArgLysValLysHisAlaGlyArgArg151015ValLeuAspThrAlaLysGlyValGlyArgHisTyrValAsnAsnXaa202530LeuAsnArgTyrArg35(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:(A) LENGTH: 37 amino acids(B) TYPE: amino acid(C) STRANDEDNESS: single(D) TOPOLOGY: linear(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide(ix) FEATURE:(A) NAME/KEY: Region(B) LOCATION: 7(C) OTHER INFORMATION: Note= &#34;Xaa is Brominated Tryptophan&#34;(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:GlyPhePheLysLysAlaXaaArgLysValLysHisAlaGlyArgArg151015ValLeuAspThrAlaLysGlyValGlyArgHisTyrValAsnAsnTrp202530LeuAsnArgTyrArg35(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:(A) LENGTH: 30 amino acids(B) TYPE: amino acid(C) STRANDEDNESS: single(D) TOPOLOGY: linear(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide(ix) FEATURE:(A) NAME/KEY: Region(B) LOCATION: 2(C) OTHER INFORMATION: Note= &#34;Xaa is Brominated Tryptophan&#34;(ix) FEATURE:(A) NAME/KEY: Region(B) LOCATION: 7(C) OTHER INFORMATION: Note= &#34;Xaa is Brominated Tryptophan&#34;(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:GlyXaaPheLysLysAlaXaaArgLysValLysAsnAlaGlyArgArg151015ValLeuLysGlyValGlyIleHisTyrGlyValGlyLeuIle202530(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:(A) LENGTH: 37 amino acids(B) TYPE: amino acid(C) STRANDEDNESS: single(D) TOPOLOGY: linear(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:GlyPhePheLysLysAlaTrpArgLysValLysHisAlaGlyArgArg151015ValLeuAspThrAlaLysGlyValGlyArgHisTyrValAsnAsnTrp202530LeuAsnArgTyrArg35__________________________________________________________________________