Bombinae

Subfamily Apidae Bombinae Vespinae Polistinae Myrmidnae Formicinae ... 

Figure 8 Venomous animals with chemotherapeutic potential, (a) Vampire bat (Desmodus rotundas (http // www.Animalpicturesarchive.com)) (b) medicinal leech [Hirudo medicinalis)-, (c) oriental fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis)-, (d) phantasmal poison frog [Epipedobates tricolor), (e) solitary tunicate sea peach Halocynthia aurantium), (f) glia monster (Heloderma suspectum). Photos (b)-(f) by I. Boyd (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License), H. Van (Public domain), L. Ghoul (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License), A. Rode (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License) and Arpingstone (Public domain), respectively. See website for photo credit (a).

Because L-Xaa2-containing peptides have never been found in amphibian skin extracts, the epimerization mechanism probably involves a quantitative inversion of the chirality of the a-carbon of the amino acid residue, rather than a racemization, which would yield an equimolar mixture of L and D isomers [16,17]. Enzymes catalyzing the formation of D amino acids are so far known only in yeast [18]. From Bombina skin secretions Kreil et al. [19] recently purified a 52-kDa glycoprotein which catalyzes the reaction Ile-Ile-Gly to Ile-D-allo-Ile-Gly. The partial conversion of He to D-allo-Ile in peptide linkage proceeds without the addition of cofactors. 

Kreil G, Mollay C, Grassi J, Mignogna G, Barra D. A peptidyl-L,D-isomerase from skin secretions of Bombinae. 25th FEBS Meeting, Copenaghen, (abstract S19.2), 1998 36. 

Anastasi A, Erspamer V, Bucci M (1971) Isolation and structure of bombesin and alytesin, 2 analogous active peptides from skin of European amphibians Bombina and Alytes. Experientia 27 166-167... 

Pliobatrachus langhae Fejervary—1 Bombina sp. indet.—15 Bufo cf. viridis (Laurenti) ... 

Bombesin is a tetradecapeptide isolated from the skin of the amphibian frog Bombina bombina (Anastasi et al, 1971). It has been proposed that bombesin-related peptides may be released from the gastrointestinal tract in response to ingested food, and that they bridge the gut and brain via neurocrine means to inhibit further food intake (Merah et al, 1999). 

BOMBESIN RECEPTOR AGONISTS act at sites that are sensitive to bombesin, a tetradecapeptide derived from the skin of Bombina bombina and certain other frogs. This peptide has been relatively extensively studied, so has given its name to a family of peptides and receptors. Contrary to the original belief, the bombesin (BB) sequence is not found in mammals but a number of similar peptide sequences have... 

Haslewood and Wootton isolated varanic acid, 3a,7a,12a,24-tetrahydroxy-5)S-cholestan-26-oic acid, from bile of the monitor lizard, Varanus niloticus [53]. Varanic acid was later found in bile of the frog, Bombina orientalis, where it occurs in the unconjugated form [18]. Une et al. synthesized 4 diastereoisomers at C-24 and C-25 of 3a,7a,12a,24-tetrahydroxy-5y3-cholestan-26-oic acid. Comparisons with these synthetic bile acids of known absolute configuration showed that the varanic acid in frog bile is (24i ,25S )-3a,7a,12a,24-tetrahydroxy-5jS-cholestan-26-oic acid [54]. 

From the secretion of Bombina variegata, gamma-amino-butyric acid, serotonin, and nonapeptides of the following type have been isolated ... 

In addition, Barberio et al. (ref. 11) have isolated a protein of 6700 D molecular weight from the skin of Bombina variegata pachypus which also shows antibacterial properties. 

Pro—Gh-Aig—Leo-Gly-Asn—Gin—Tip HjN-Met-Leu-Hls-Gly-Val-Ala C7,H oN240,gS, Mr 1619.86, mp. 185 °C (hydrochloride, decomp.). A tetradecapeptide from the skin of toads of the genus Bombina. B. stimulates the secretion of gastric and pancreatic mucous membranes and exhibits hyperglycemic, hypertensive, and antidiuretic properties. High concentrations are found in the cells of human lung carcinomas. ... 

Bombina variegata Extrachromosomal nucleoli Buongiorno-Nardelli et al. (1972)... 

Bacillus, 350 Bacillus rossius, 350 Blaberus discoidalis, 359 Bombina variegata, 106 Bombyx mori, 98, 118 Bradijsia elegans, 116 Bufo americanus, 106 Bufo bufo, 5, 106 Bufo valliceps, 106 Bufo viridis, 108 Bufo woodhousei fowleri, 106... 

Csordas A, Micht H. Isolation and structure of a hemolytic polypeptide from the defensive secretion of European Bombina species. Monatsh Chem 1970 101 182-189. 

Simmaco M, Batra D, Chiarini F, Noviello L, Mekhioiri P, Kreil G, Richter K. A family of bombinin-related peptides from the skin of Bombina variegaca. Eur J Biochem 1991 199 217-222. 

The Apidae, which includes all of the highly social bees, carry pollen-nectar mixtures in specialized corbiculae on the hind tibiae and construct freestanding nest cells of secreted wax, resin, or other foreign materials. The Meliponinae, until recently considered a tribe of the Apinae, are the stingless, highly social bees in the Old and New World tropics. The Bombinae includes two tribes the Euglossini, the brilliant metallic orchid bees of tropical America, whose males pollinate orchids and whose females are solitary or... 

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