Natural Compounds as Immunostimulators with Antimicrobial Activity from Garden Snails Helix aspersa

• Applicant: Professor Stefan Stevanovic, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Structural Biology
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 220940268

Many peptides and oxygen-binding proteins have been identified in the hemolymph of mollusks. Most of them present antimicrobial activity, and are as such new and innovative alternatives to chemical antibiotics with a promising future as biotechnological tools. Moreover, the development of antibiotics, with novel mechanisms of action is a persisting issue. Therefore, one of the main goals of this project is: Novel peptides, glycopeptides and glycoproteins will be isolated from the hemolymph of molluscan snails Helix aspersa. Applying mass spectrometry, their primary and carbohydrate structures will be determined. On the other hand, by performing genomic and proteomic studies, the results obtained through this proposal will offer information on the efficacy of Helix aspersa hemocyanin to be an immunostimulating protein of high potential. Molluscan Hcs are powerful antigens, probably due to their high carbohydrate content and specific monosaccharide composition. Therefore, to investigate the effect and mechanism of action, the architecture of peptides and Helix aspersa Hc will be studied at the level of their molecular organization, amino acid sequence, and carbohydrate structure using several new methods and techniques. Based on the obtained information, Helix hemocyanin and peptides will be offered as commercial products for pharmaceutic and cosmetic industry, and medicine.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Bulgaria
• Participating Persons: Professorin Dr. Pavlina Alexandrova Dolashka-Angelova; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Voelter (†)