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Clavanin This family consists of clavanin proteins from the haemocytes of the invertebrate Styela clava, a solitary tunicate. The family is made up of four alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides, clavanins A, B, C and D. The tunicate peptides resemble magainins in size, primary sequence and antibacterial activity. Synthetic clavanin A displays comparable antimicrobial activity to magainins and cecropins. The presence of alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides in the haemocytes of a urochordate suggests that such peptides are primeval effectors of innate immunity in the vertebrate lineage.
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