Peptide name : Agelaia-MPI

Source/Organism : Artistic wasp

Linear/Cyclic : Linear

Chirality : Not found

Peptide length: 14

C-terminal modification: Linear

N-terminal modification : Amidation

Non-natural peptide information: None

Assay type : Not specified

Assay time : 24h

Activity : CC50 : <10 µM

Cell line : MM96L

Cancer type : Melanoma

Other activity : Not found

Amino acid composition bar chart :

Molecular mass : 1567.9125 Dalton

Aliphatic index : 1.814

Instability index : -7.5

Hydrophobicity (GRAVY) : 0.8857

Isoelectric point : 8.5909

Charge (pH 7) : 0.7592

Aromaticity : 0.071

Molar extinction coefficient (cysteine, cystine): (5500, 5500)

Hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratio : 2.5

hydrophobic moment : -0.858

Missing amino acid : C,R,H,Q,T,P,M,E,F,S,Y,V

Most occurring amino acid : I

Most occurring amino acid frequency : 3

Least occurring amino acid : N

Least occurring amino acid frequency : 1

Secondary structure fraction (Helix, Turn, Sheet): (0.5, 0.2, 0.5)

SMILES Notation: CC[C@H](C)[C@H](N)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(N)=O)C(=O)N[C@@H](Cc1c[nH]c2ccccc12)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(C)C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCCN)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(C)C)C(=O)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](CCCCN)C(=O)N[C@@H](C)C(=O)N[C@H](C(=O)N[C@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(=O)O)C(=O)N[C@@H](C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(C)C)C(=O)O)[C@@H](C)CC)[C@@H](C)CC

1 : Gonçalves J, et al. Antinociceptive properties of the mastoparan peptide Agelaia-MPI isolated from social wasps. Toxicon. 2016; 120:15-21. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.07.009

2 : Muller JAI, et al. Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties of Synthetic Peptides Derived from the Wasp Parachartergus fraternus. Chembiochem. 2021; 22:1415-1423. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202000716

Paper title : Antinociceptive properties of the mastoparan peptide Agelaia-MPI isolated from social wasps.

Doi : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.07.009

Abstract : Analgesic therapy is based on the sequential treatment of pain, in which opioids are drugs of last resource and known to be highly effective, but are also responsible for undesirable side effects, tolerance and addiction. There is a need for new drugs with alternative targets in order to minimize side effects and improve treatment efficacy. Mastoparans are an abundant class of peptides in wasp venom and have shown great potential as new drugs, as well as being excellent tools for the study of G-protein-coupled receptors. The objective of this study was to investigate the antinociceptive activity of the mastoparan Agelaia-MP I and the mechanisms involved. Agelaia-MP I (MW 1565 Da) showed dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in mice submitted to i.c.v. injection in two different models. The highest dose produced a maximum effect for up to 4 h, and nociception remained low three days after injection. Further experiments showed that Agelaia-MPI induced partial and reversible blockade of the amplitude of action potential, probably interacting with voltage-gated sodium channels. These results revealed the significant potential impact of compounds isolated from wasp venom on the central nervous system (CNS). In addition, the antinociceptive effect described here is a novel activity for mastoparans.

Paper title : Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties of Synthetic Peptides Derived from the Wasp Parachartergus fraternus.

Doi : https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.202000716

Abstract : Agelaia-MPI and protonectin are antimicrobial peptides isolated from the wasp Parachartergus fraternus that show antimicrobial and neuroactive activities. Previously, two analogues of these peptides, neuroVAL and protonectin-F, were designed to reduce nonspecific toxicity and improve potency. Here, the three-dimensional structures of neuroVAL, protonectin and protonectin-F were determined by using circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy. Antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic and hemolytic activities were tested for the parent peptides and analogues. All peptides showed moderate antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with agelaia-MPI being the most active. Protonectin and protonectin-F were found to be toxic to cancerous and noncancerous cell lines. Internalization experiments revealed that these peptides accumulate inside both cell types. By contrast, neuroVAL was nontoxic to all tested cells and was able to enter cells without accumulating. In summary, neuroVAL has potential as a nontoxic cell-penetrating peptide, while protonectin-F needs further modification to realize its potential as an antitumor peptide.