Database Resources Dedicated to Antimicrobial Peptides

With the successful use of bacteriocin nisin as a food preservative in over 50 countries, more attention is now paid to natural compounds such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which may hold the key to the development of a new generation of antimicrobials. Host defense AMPs have been discovered in all life domains. This chapter systematically deals with the 23 AMP databases published as of June 2014. Some resources, including the APD, BACTIBASE, CyBase, PenBase, PhytAMP, and THIOBASE, contain classified peptide information for species related to agricultural practice. The Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD) is a major comprehensive resource for AMPs from bacteria, protozoa, fungi, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. In particular, the APD contains AMPs with antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal activities as well as peptides expressed in transgenic plants to reduce microbial infection. Complementary features from other database are emphasized. Also highlighted are select web servers for AMP prediction. These resources are useful for developing new compounds for food safety, pest, and microbial control.