Antibiotic cryptdin peptides and methods of their use

摘要

The present invention provides substantially purified cryptdin peptides having a consensus amino acid sequence: X1-C-X2-C-R-X3-C-X4-E-X5-C-X6-C-C-X7 or having a consensus amino acid sequence: X1-L-X2-C-Y-C-R-X3-C-K-X4-E-X5-G-T-C-X6-C-C-X7 wherein X1 to X7 each independently is 0 to 10 amino acids. The invention also provides cryptdin analogs, which are devoid of one or more amino acids N-terminal to the first cysteine. In addition, the invention provides nucleic acid molecules encoding cryptdin peptides. The invention further provides methods for detecting inflammatory pathologies in a subject and for treating an inflammatory pathology in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition containing a cryptdin peptide.