Question

The production of antimicrobial peptides is one of the most evolutionarily ancient mechanisms of defense for multicellular organisms, and most eukaryotic species make many different forms of these proteins. For instance, human paneth cells in the

gastrointestinal epithelium make 21 different defensins. The reason for this diversity of
antimicrobial peptides is:

A. Epithelial cells make different forms than those made by neutrophils.
B. Neutrophils make many different defensins and store them as inactive proteins in their secretory granules.
C. Most of them are produced only in response to infection.
D. The production of different peptides is induced following a bacterial infection versus a fungal infection.
E. Each one has distinct activities against Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, or fungi.

Answer 1

Antimicrobial peptides exhibit diversity because each peptide has specific activities against different pathogens, providing an effective defense against various infections.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason for the diversity of antimicrobial peptides is that each one has distinct activities against different types of pathogens, such as Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, or fungi. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a crucial component of the innate immune system, serving as a first line of defense against pathogenic infections.

Produced by a variety of cells including leukocytes, lymphocytes, and epithelial cells, these peptides exhibit broad activity and their expression is often triggered by infections, underscoring their role in host defense. Defensins, for example, are peptides that contain disulfide bridges stabilizing their structure, and they can permeabilize microbial membranes via pore formation.