# Magainin

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This article is about antimicrobial peptides. For the alloy, see [Manganin](/source/Manganin).

The **magainins** are a class of [antimicrobial peptides](/source/Antimicrobial_peptides) found in the [African clawed frog](/source/African_clawed_frog) (*Xenopus laevis*).[1] The peptides are cationic, generally lack a stable conformation in water but form amphipathic α-helix in membranes; their mechanism against micro-organisms is unclear but they disrupt the cell membranes of a broad spectrum of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi.[2]

They were independently discovered at around the same time by the labs of [Michael Zasloff](/source/Michael_Zasloff) at the NIH and [Dudley H. Williams](/source/Dudley_H._Williams) at the University of Cambridge.[2] They were named by Zasloff, after the [Hebrew](/source/Hebrew) word for "shield," מגן māgēn ([Ashkenazi](/source/Ashkenazi_Hebrew) pronunciation: magain).[3]

Zasloff helped found a company, Magainin Pharmaceuticals (subsequently called Genaera) to develop magainins into drugs.[4] One candidate was an analog of magainin called pexiganan (MSI-78) that the company developed as a topical agent for infected [diabetic foot ulcers](/source/Diabetic_foot_ulcer); in 1999 the FDA rejected the application because pexiganan was not better than standard treatments.[2][5][6] Another company, Dipexium Pharmaceuticals, ran further phase III clinical trials for the same use, which failed in 2016.[7]

## References

1. Conlon JM, Mechkarska M, King JD (May 2012). "Host-defense peptides in skin secretions of African clawed frogs (Xenopodinae, Pipidae)". *General and Comparative Endocrinology*. **176** (3): 513–8. [doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2011.10.010](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2011.10.010). [PMID 22036891](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22036891)

1. Interviewed in 1987, Zasloff explained: "I used it because it came from the skin and it was shielding, in my opinion. What the hell, I hadn't heard a Hebrew name in science before" (Susan Okie (July 30, 1987). ["Frog's Skin Yields Powerful Antibiotic"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/07/30/frogs-skin-yields-powerful-antibiotic/f4b40db2-4780-46d0-b93d-211d8178767e). *The Washington Post*). In a later interview, his wife, Barbara Zasloff, added: "Tradition would have it that he would have given it a Latin or Greek name. We both felt that he comes from a Hebrew tradition and it would be very appropriate to give it a Hebrew name" (Susan Okie (February 16, 1988). ["A Man and His Frogs"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1988/02/16/a-man-and-his-frogs/8ae0f57d-5c40-4c52-be7f-47105159d5cb). *The Washington Post*).

1. George, John (April 29, 2009). ["Biotech Genaera shutting down: Never brought drug to market"](https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2009/04/27/daily31.html). *Philadelphia Business Journal*

1. Moore A (February 2003). "The big and small of drug discovery. Biotech versus pharma: advantages and drawbacks in drug development". *EMBO Reports*. **4** (2): 114–7. [doi:10.1038/sj.embor.embor748](https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.embor.embor748). [PMC 1315844](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1315844). [PMID 12612596](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12612596)

1. ["Pexiganan"](http://adisinsight.springer.com/drugs/800002904). AdisInsight. Retrieved 16 January 2018.

1. ["Dipexium's Diabetic Foot Ulcer Candidate Fails Phase III Trials"](https://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/dipexiums-diabetic-foot-ulcer-candidate-fails-phase-iii-trials/81253359). *GEN*. October 25, 2016.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Magainin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magainin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magainin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.