Antiviral activity of ovotransferrin derived peptides.

Abstract

Ovotransferrin and lactoferrin are iron-binding proteins with antiviral and antibacterial activities related to natural immunity, showing marked sequence and structural homologies. The antiviral activity of two hen ovotransferrin fragments DQKDEYELL (hOtrf(219-227)) and KDLLFK (hOtrf(269-301) and hOtrf(633-638)) towards Marek's disease virus infection of chicken embryo fibroblasts is reported here. These fragments have sequence homology with two bovine lactoferrin fragments with antiviral activity towards herpes simplex virus, suggesting that these fragments could have a role for the exploitation of the antiviral activity of the intact proteins towards herpes viruses. NMR analysis showed that these peptides, chemically synthetized, did not possess any favourite conformation in solution, indicating that both the aminoacid sequence and the conformation they display in the intact protein are essential for the antiviral activity.

• Authors: Francesco Giansanti, M Teresa Massucci, M Federica Giardi, Fabrizio Nozza, Emy Pulsinelli, Claudio Nicolini, Dario Botti, Giovanni Antonini
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 331 Issue 1 Pg. 69-73 (May 27 2005) ISSN: 0006-291X [Print] United States
• PMID: 15845359 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Peptide Fragments
• Conalbumin
• Lactoferrin

Topics

• Animals
• Antiviral Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Cells, Cultured
• Chick Embryo
• Conalbumin (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Lactoferrin (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Mardivirus (drug effects)
• Peptide Fragments (chemistry, pharmacology)