{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T02:07:34Z","timestamp":1760234854999,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,22]],"date-time":"2021-06-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1624320000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012166","name":"National Key Research and Development Program of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["(No. 2018YFD0502201"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["(No. 2018YFD0502201"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012166","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012226","name":"Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["NO.2572014CA02"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NO.2572014CA02"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012226","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The blue fox (Vulpes lagopus), a fur-bearing animal, is an important component of the breeding industry in China. Semen quality is a key factor for the reproductive process and the breeding effectiveness of the farmed blue fox. However, bacterial contamination in semen samples utilized in artificial fertilization is very common. The \u03b2-defensins, a class of important antimicrobial peptides in mammals, could protect the reproductive system of male animals from bacterial invasion, maintain the stability of the genital tract microenvironment and improve semen quality. In this study, molecular cloning and bioinformatics analysis were conducted to analyze the protein structure and function of blue fox \u03b2-defensin 108 (Vulpes lagopus beta-defensin 108, vBD108) and 122 (Vulpes lagopus beta-defensin 122, vBD122). To evaluate the bacteriostatic effect of recombinant vBDs (Vulpes lagopus beta-defensins) protein, varying concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 \u00b5g\/mL) were taken to evaluate the effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at different times (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 h). The results showed that vBD108 and vBD122 existed in different forms in protein structure and had antibacterial activity. Both proteins, at 50 \u00b5g\/mL, had efficacious bacteriostatic activity. This study shows that recombinant vBD108 and vBD122 proteins have good antibacterial activity in vitro. This implies a potential role in improving semen quality and hygienic measures in the process of artificial insemination as an extender of semen dilution with antibacterial activity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11071857","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,22]],"date-time":"2021-06-22T13:02:10Z","timestamp":1624366930000},"page":"1857","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Molecular Identification and Antibacterial Activity Analysis of Blue Fox (Vulpes lagopus) \u03b2-Defensins 108 and 122"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Ling-Ling","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tao-Lin","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ping","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nian-Yan","family":"Du","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Li-Hong","family":"Tian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zhi-Jun","family":"Hou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"769","DOI":"10.1071\/RD13153","article-title":"A novel subclass of bovine \u03b2-defensins links reproduction and immunology","volume":"26","author":"Narciandi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Reprod. Fertil. Dev."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1098","DOI":"10.2174\/1389203717666160813162629","article-title":"Functions of Antimicrobial Peptides in Vertebrates","volume":"18","author":"Avila","year":"2017","journal-title":"Curr. Protein Pept. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7827-4-7","article-title":"Identification, cloning and functional characterization of novel beta-defensins in the rat (Rattus norvegicus)","volume":"4","author":"Yenugu","year":"2006","journal-title":"Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18863","DOI":"10.4238\/2015.December.28.36","article-title":"Preparation of polyclonal antibody against porcine beta defensin 2 and identification of its distribution in tissues of pig","volume":"14","author":"Bao","year":"2015","journal-title":"Genet. Mol. Res."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"834","DOI":"10.1007\/s00335-004-2387-z","article-title":"Bovine \u03b2-defensins: Identification and characterization of novel bovine \u03b2-defensin genes and their expression in mammarygland tissue","volume":"15","author":"Roosen","year":"2004","journal-title":"Mamm. Genome"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.2183\/pjab.88.152","article-title":"Antimicrobial peptide defensin: Identification of novel isoforms and the characterization of their physiological roles and their significance in the pathogenesis of diseases","volume":"88","author":"Yamaguchi","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. Jpn. Acad. Ser. B Phys. Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2793","DOI":"10.1128\/IAI.00688-09","article-title":"Human \u03b2-Defensin 3 Inhibits Cell Wall Biosynthesis in Staphylococci","volume":"78","author":"Sass","year":"2010","journal-title":"Infect. Immun."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2013.00353","article-title":"Antibiotic development challenges: The various mechanisms of action of antimicrobial peptides and of bacterial resistance","volume":"4","author":"Guilhelmelli","year":"2013","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2804","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.47.9.2804-2809.2003","article-title":"Antimicrobial characterization of human beta-defensin 3 derivatives","volume":"47","author":"Hoover","year":"2003","journal-title":"Antimicrob. Agents Chemother."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2611","DOI":"10.1128\/IAI.73.5.2611-2620.2005","article-title":"Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Three \u03b2-Defensins from Canine Testes","volume":"73","author":"Sang","year":"2005","journal-title":"Infect. Immun."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"641","DOI":"10.1007\/s00251-011-0551-7","article-title":"Reproductive tissue-specific expression profiling and genetic variation across a 19 gene bovine \u03b2-defensin cluster","volume":"63","author":"Narciandi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Immunogenetics"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.4062\/biomolther.2017.172","article-title":"Towards the Application of Human Defensins as Antivirals","volume":"26","author":"Park","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biomol. Ther. (Seoul)"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22969","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M114.572529","article-title":"Unique properties of human \u03b2-defensin 6 (hBD6) and glycosaminoglycan complex: Sandwich-like dimerization and competition with the chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) binding site","volume":"289","author":"Pomin","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Biol. Chem."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/S0888-7543(02)00034-4","article-title":"Distribution of new human beta-defensin genes clustered on chromosome 20 in functionally different segments of epididymis","volume":"81","author":"Krause","year":"2003","journal-title":"Genomics"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2516","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.169.5.2516","article-title":"Identification of multiple novel epididymis-specific beta-defensin isoforms in humans and mice","volume":"169","author":"Yamaguchi","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8279","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M108830200","article-title":"The solution structures of the human beta-defensins lead to a better understanding of the potent bactericidal activity of HBD3 against Staphylococcus aureus","volume":"277","author":"Schibli","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Biol. Chem."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"2470","article-title":"Structure determination of human and murine \u03b2-defensins reveals structural conservation in the absence of significant sequence similarity","volume":"10","author":"Bauer","year":"2001","journal-title":"Protein Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1939-4640.2000.tb03397.x","article-title":"Multiple Promoter and Splicing mRNA Variants of the Epididymis-Specific Gene EP2","volume":"21","author":"Po","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Androl."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1152\/physiolgenomics.00104.2005","article-title":"Cross-species analysis of the mammalian \u03b2-defensin gene family: Presence of syntenic gene clusters and preferential expression in the male reproductive tract","volume":"23","author":"Patil","year":"2005","journal-title":"Physiol. Genom."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.102.005389","article-title":"Expression of antimicrobial defensins in the male reproductive tract of rats, mice, and humans","volume":"68","author":"Com","year":"2003","journal-title":"Biol. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2018.01.014","article-title":"Evaluation of porcine beta defensins-1 and -2 as antimicrobial peptides for liquid-stored boar semen: Effects on bacterial growth and sperm quality","volume":"111","author":"Pereira","year":"2018","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, P., Liu, T.L., Li, L.L., Liu, Z.P., Tian, L.H., and Hou, Z.J. (2021). Declined expressing mRNA of beta-defensin 108 from epididymis is associated with decreased sperm motility in blue fox (Vulpes lagopus). BMC. Vet. Res., 17.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-020-02697-6"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jviromet.2018.06.012","article-title":"Detection of tobamoviruses by RT-PCR using a novel pair of degenerate primers","volume":"259","author":"Li","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Virol. Methods."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.physiol.64.081501.134340","article-title":"\u03b2-Defensins in lung host defense","volume":"64","author":"Schutte","year":"2002","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"389","DOI":"10.1038\/415389a","article-title":"Antimicrobial peptides of multicellular organisms","volume":"415","author":"Zasloff","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e00649-16","DOI":"10.1128\/MCB.00649-16","article-title":"Phosphorylated Nuclear Receptor CAR Forms a Homodimer to Repress Its Constitutive Activity for Ligand Activation","volume":"37","author":"Shizu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mol. Cell. Biol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"741","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jpcb.6b11806","article-title":"Elucidating the Bacterial Membrane Disruption Mechanism of Human \u03b1-Defensin 5: A Theoretical Study","volume":"121","author":"Jung","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Phys. Chem. B"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anireprosci.2014.05.008","article-title":"Effects of Enterobacter cloacae on boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17 \u00b0C","volume":"148","author":"Bussalleu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Anim. Reprod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1385\/MB:28:3:185","article-title":"Expression of an antimicrobial peptide identified in the male reproductive system of rats","volume":"28","author":"Sun","year":"2004","journal-title":"Mol. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"625","DOI":"10.2164\/jandrol.111.012989","article-title":"Immunophysiology and pathology of inflammation in the testis and epididymis","volume":"32","author":"Hedger","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Androl."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e20190111","DOI":"10.21451\/1984-3143-AR2019-0111","article-title":"Current and alternative trends in antibacterial agents used in mammalian semen technology","volume":"17","author":"Santos","year":"2020","journal-title":"Anim. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2019.03.005","article-title":"Evaluation of \u03b5-polylysine as antimicrobial alternative for liquid-stored boar semen","volume":"130","author":"Shaoyong","year":"2019","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"92","article-title":"Beta-defensin126 is correlated with sperm motility in fertile and infertile men","volume":"102","author":"Aram","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biol. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.116.138792","article-title":"Cauda Epididymis-Specific Beta-Defensin 126 Promotes Sperm Motility but Not Fertilizing Ability in Cattle","volume":"95","author":"Narciandi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biol. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e13455","DOI":"10.1111\/and.13455","article-title":"Effect of recombinant \u03b2-defensin 1 protein on human sperm motility and viability","volume":"52","author":"Khayamabed","year":"2020","journal-title":"Andrologia"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"787","DOI":"10.1007\/s10815-019-01409-w","article-title":"Human \u03b2-defensin 1 in follicular fluid and semen: Impact on fertility","volume":"36","author":"Zupin","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Assist. Reprod. Genet."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249ra108","DOI":"10.1126\/scitranslmed.3009071","article-title":"Deficient human \u03b2-defensin 1 underlies male infertility associated with poor sperm motility and genital tract infection","volume":"6","author":"Diao","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sci. Transl. Med."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"458","DOI":"10.1038\/ncb1127","article-title":"An epididymis-specific beta-defensin is important for the initiation of sperm maturation","volume":"6","author":"Zhou","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nat. Cell Biol."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/11\/7\/1857\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T06:21:17Z","timestamp":1760163677000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/11\/7\/1857"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,22]]},"references-count":38,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,7]]}},"alternative-id":["ani11071857"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani11071857","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2076-2615"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,22]]}}}