TY - JOUR
T1 - Antimicrobial peptide defenses against chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease of amphibian populations
AU - Rollins-Smith, Louise A.
AU - Conlon, J. Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
This work has been supported by NSF Integrated Research Challenges in Environmental Biology (IRCEB) grants IBN-9977063 and DEB-0213851 (J. Collins P.I.) and IBN-0131184 (L. Rollins-Smith, P.I.) to L. Rollins-Smith and by an Interdisciplinary Grant (03/12-8-03-01) and a Faculty Support Grant (NP/04/02) from the United Arab Emirates University to J.M. Conlon.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease (EID) of the skin caused by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has been linked with continuing amphibian population declines in the western USA, Central America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. Genetic analysis suggests that B. dendrobatidis is a recently emerged pathogen. This article reviews the biology of this pathogenic chytrid and the evidence for chytridiomycosis as a cause of declines in amphibian populations worldwide. Data are presented to show that antimicrobial peptides, produced in granular glands of the skin and released in high concentrations into skin secretions, are highly effective in inhibiting growth of B. dendrobatidis in vitro and may provide limited protection for some species. Ongoing studies suggest a correlation between resistance to lethal infection by B. dendrobatidis and synthesis of antimicrobial peptides by the host amphibian, but further research is needed to define better the role of antimicrobial peptides in protection of amphibian populations and the effect of environmental factors upon antimicrobial peptide synthesis.
AB - Chytridiomycosis, an emerging infectious disease (EID) of the skin caused by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has been linked with continuing amphibian population declines in the western USA, Central America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. Genetic analysis suggests that B. dendrobatidis is a recently emerged pathogen. This article reviews the biology of this pathogenic chytrid and the evidence for chytridiomycosis as a cause of declines in amphibian populations worldwide. Data are presented to show that antimicrobial peptides, produced in granular glands of the skin and released in high concentrations into skin secretions, are highly effective in inhibiting growth of B. dendrobatidis in vitro and may provide limited protection for some species. Ongoing studies suggest a correlation between resistance to lethal infection by B. dendrobatidis and synthesis of antimicrobial peptides by the host amphibian, but further research is needed to define better the role of antimicrobial peptides in protection of amphibian populations and the effect of environmental factors upon antimicrobial peptide synthesis.
KW - Amphibians
KW - Antimicrobial peptides
KW - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
KW - Chytrid fungus
KW - Frogs
KW - Global population declines
KW - Immune defense
KW - Toads
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=15244355765&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=15244355765&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.dci.2004.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.dci.2004.11.004
M3 - Review article
C2 - 15784290
AN - SCOPUS:15244355765
SN - 0145-305X
VL - 29
SP - 589
EP - 598
JO - Developmental and Comparative Immunology
JF - Developmental and Comparative Immunology
IS - 7
ER -