Mastoparans: A Group of Multifunctional α-Helical Peptides With Promising Therapeutic Properties

Abstract

Biologically active peptides have been attracting increasing attention, whether to improve the understanding of their mechanisms of action or in the search for new therapeutic drugs. Wasp venoms have been explored as a remarkable source for these molecules. In this review, the main findings on the group of wasp linear cationic α-helical peptides called mastoparans were discussed. These compounds have a wide variety of biological effects, including mast cell degranulation, activation of protein G, phospholipase A₂, C, and D activation, serotonin and insulin release, and antimicrobial, hemolytic, and anticancer activities, which could lead to the development of new therapeutic agents.

Keywords: antimicrobial peptide; linear cationic α-helical peptide; mast cell degranulation; mastoparans; social and solitary wasps; venom.

FIGURE 1

Consensus sequence of mastoparans (with 14 amino acid residues) using the WebLogo generator, a graphical representation of the patterns within a multiple sequence alignment, in which the overall height of each stack indicates the sequence conservation at that position (measured in bits), whereas the height of the symbols within the stack reflects the relative frequency of the corresponding amino acid at that position (Crooks, 2004).

FIGURE 2

Amino acid sequence alignment of mastoparans. The sequence motifs are highlighted. Gaps have been inserted to improve visualization. Some manual changes have been made to improve the visualization and understanding.

FIGURE 3

Amino acid sequence alignment of the translated mastoparan precursors obtained from UniprotKB. Arrows indicate signal peptide and prosequence removal points. The C-terminal glycine indicates the site of amidation of the mature peptide. Gaps have been inserted to improve visualization.

FIGURE 4

Main biological activities exhibited by mastoparans.

FIGURE 5

Mrgprb2-mediated mast cell activation by mastoparans leading to neutrophil recruitment and S. aureus clearance in a mouse dermonecrotic-infected lesion. ROS—reactive oxygen species; NETs—neutrophil extracellular traps.