See Also: Insect defensins(medicine)
defensins(medicine)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
insect(dictionary)
Insect(medicine)
insect(1)(dictionary)
insect(2)(dictionary)
insect(encyclopedia)
insect hormones(medicine)
insect control(medicine)

Insect defensins (medicine)


insect defensins -->
defensins
<biochemistry> Family of small (30-35 residue) cysteine rich cationic proteins found in vertebrate phagocytes (notably the azurophil granules of neutrophils) and active against bacteria, fungi and enveloped viruses.

May constitute up to 5% of the total protein. Insect defensins have some sequence homology with the vertebrate forms.