Location: Office of The Director
2021 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. New fish antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified. AMPs are short peptides/proteins that form key components as the first-line defense of the innate immune system in many species including mammals, lower vertebrates, fish, insects and plants. As such, AMPs exhibit abilities to defend their hosts against broad spectrum of infectious microbial pathogens (bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic) and are thought to be promising alternatives to the use of antibiotics in human health and agriculture. ARS scientists in Leetown, West Virginia, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, identified six new AMPs in rainbow trout. These new AMPs show sequence homology to the Nk-lysin family of proteins and their patterns of gene expression were altered following challenge with aquaculture-relevant pathogens as well as by physiological stressors. Overall, these newly characterized AMPs contribute to host innate immunity and understanding their regulation may provide valuable insights into improving animal health in production systems.
