Title: Magainins

Literature References: A class of potent antimicrobial peptides isolated from the granular gland of clawed toad Xenopus laevis. Name coined by Zasloff from the Hebrew word for "shield". Consists of magainins I and II, both containing 23 amino acid residues and differing only at the 10 (I: Gly, II: Lys) and 22 (I: Lys, II: Asn) positions. Isolation and characterization: M. Zasloff, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 5449 (1987). Identification of post-secretory degradation product: T. W. Schwartz et al., Nature 329, 494 (1987). Brief overview: J. Alper, Chem. Week 66 (November 4, 1987); M. Cannon, Nature 328, 478 (1987).