Gallinacin and Fowlicidin: Two Promising Antimicrobial Peptides in Chickens—A Review

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) which have been identified in almost all groups of organisms, are the small cationic molecules that recognize the pathogen associated molecular patterns of the microbes. In chicken two main AMPs that play significant roles in bolstering the innate immunity are gallinacins and fowlicidins, which are the functional analogues of the mammalian beta-defensins and cathelicidins. Gallinacin identifies the Gram negative bacteria while fowlicidin exerts broad spectral activity. The basic mechanism of action is by far similar in both groups of AMPs. The ʹdocking sitesʹ of these antimicrobial peptides includes the "lipid A" moiety of lipo polysaccharides, lipo-teichoic acids, anionic membrane phospholipids on bacterial surfaces. These AMPs block the DNA replication and protein synthesis in bacteria causing death of the microbe. Researchers have identified reproducible molecular markers of those peptides for selection of disease resistant stock of chickens.