1. Snail mucus from the mantle and foot of two land snails, Lissachatina fulica and Hemiplecta distincta, exhibits different protein profile and biological activity
- Author
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Somsak Panha, Kantamas Apitanyasai, Anchalee Tassanakajon, and Nattaphop Noothuan
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Science (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Zoology ,Snail ,Biology ,Antimicrobial activity ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Q1-390 ,Antioxidant activity ,Anti-Infective Agents ,biology.animal ,Animals ,Biology (General) ,Mantle (mollusc) ,Snail mucus ,Land snail ,Biological activity ,General Medicine ,Mucus ,Anti-Bacterial Agents ,Research Note ,030104 developmental biology ,Anti-tyrosinase activity ,Medicine ,Antibacterial activity ,Foot (unit) ,Snail slime - Abstract
Objective Snails secrete different types of mucus that serve several functions, and are increasingly being exploited for medical and cosmetic applications. In this study, we explored the protein pattern and compared the biological properties of the mucus secreted from the mantle collar and foot of two snail species, Lissachatina fulica and Hemiplecta distincta. Result Protein profile showed a different pattern between the two species and between the two secretory parts. The mantle-specific protein bands were further characterized and among them was an antibacterial protein, achacin. Accordingly, the mucus from the mantle exhibited the higher antibacterial activity than that from the foot in both snail species. The mucus from H. distincta, first reported here, also showed antibacterial properties, but with a lower activity compared to that for L. fulica. Snail mucus also exhibited anti-tyrosinase activity and antioxidant activity but with no significant difference between the foot and mantle mucus. These results indicate some different protein compositions and biological activities of snail slime from the mantle and foot, which might be associated with their specific functions in the animal and are useful for medical applications.
- Published
- 2021