Biomolecules of the Horseshoe Crab’s Hemolymph: Components of an Ancient Defensive Mechanism and Its Impact on the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Industry

Table 4

Antimicrobial activities (IC50 μg/ml) of the horseshoe crab hemocyte-derived proteins and peptides [32].

Protein/peptide	E. coli K12	Staphylococcus aureus 2O9P	C. albicans M9	Pichia pastoris
Tachyplesin	<2.5	.3	.2	.1
Polyphemusin	6.3	6.3	6.3	ND
Big defensin	2.5	<2.5	20	42
Tachystatin A	25	4.2	3.0	0.5
Tachystatin B	NI	7.4	3.0	0.1
Tachystatin C	1.2	0.8	0.9	0.3
Tachycitin	33	56	52	41
Anti LPS factor	>20	1.3	ND	ND
Factor D	36	NI	ND	ND
Limulus cystatin	>86	100	ND	ND

Half-maximal inhibitory concentration. ND: not determined; NI: no inhibition at 100 μg/ml.