Echinoderm Antimicrobial Peptides to Contrast Human Pathogens

Increased attention has been focused in marine invertebrates as a source of bioactive molecules for biomedicalapplications. Many bioactive molecules are part of the innate immune system. Some more recently isolated compounds,mainly from sea urchin and sea cucumber are antimicrobial peptides (AMP) active against Gram positive, Gramnegative and fungi. In this review we described the most recent studies on AMP isolated from echinoderms. TheAMP are little peptides <10 kDa with cationic charge and amphipathic structure. Recently, it was demonstrated that in the coelomocyte lysates of Paracentrotus. lividus and Holothuria tubulosa AMP are present with activity againststaphylococcal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiofilm. The data show the great potential of application of AMPsin biotechnology for developing novel therapeutic agents and as complements to conventional antibiotic therapy tocombat the multi - resistant bacterial strains.