Antimicrobial peptides and methods for identifying and using such peptides

1. An isolated antimicrobial peptide consisting of from 10 to 12 amino acids of which 7 out of said 10 to 12 amino acids are hydrophobic residues, 3 of said 10 to 12 amino acids are basic residues and at least one of said 10 to 12 amino acids is histidine (His), glutamic acid (Glu) or seine (Ser), with the proviso that two of the hydrophobic amino acids must be tryptophan (Trp) residues and said two tryptophan residues are adjacent tryptophans.

2. The isolated antimicrobial peptide of claim 1 , comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1.

3. The isolated antimicrobial peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide is amidated, carboxyinethylated or cyclized.

4. The isolated peptide of claim 1 , consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3, or 4.

5. A method for identifying an antimicrobial peptide which binds to an infective stage microorganism and damages said microorganism comprising:

(a) contacting an infective stage microorganism with a plurality of non-identical peptides of claim 1 ,

(b) identifying peptides that bind to the microorganism, and

(c) assaying the peptides identified in (b) for capacity to damage the microorganism,

wherein damage to said microorganism by a peptide of (c) indicates that the peptide of (c) is an antimicrobial peptide which binds to an infective stage microorganism and damages said microorganism.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of peptides is expressed on a bacteriophage.

7. The method of claim 5 , comprising contacting said microorganism with a library of synthetic peptides.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a protozoa, a fungus, a Gram positive bacterium or a Gram negative bacterium.

9. A method for preventing growth, inhibiting growth or decreasing viability of a microorganism comprising contacting said microorganism with an effective amount of the peptide of claim 1 , sufficient to prevent growth, to inhibit growth or to decrease viability of said microorganism.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said microorganism is a protozoa or a fungus.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the protozoa is an Eimeria ( E .) species, a Toxoplasma ( T .) species, a Crithidia ( Cr .) species, or a Trypanosoma ( Tr .) species.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of Candida albicans or Asperillus nidulans, Colletotrichum gossypii, Alternaria macrospora, Bipolaris sorokiniana, Dreschslera tritici, Phoma sorghina, Microdochium oryzae, Bipolaris oryzae, Pyricularia grisea, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the protozoa is selected from the group consisting of E. acervulina or E. tenella.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein said microorganism is present in an environment that is capable of sustaining viability of the microorganism.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said environment is a water sample, a food product, a feed, an animal, or a plant.

16. A method for treating an organism infected with a pathogenic microorganism comprising administering an effective amount of the isolated antimicrobial peptide of claim 1 to said organism sufficient to alleviate said infection.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said organism is a bird, a mammal, or a plant.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pathogenic microorganism is a fungus, or a protozoa.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the protozoa is an Eimeria , or a Toxoplasma.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of Candida albicans or Aspergillus nidulans, Colletotrichum gossypii, Alternaria macrospora, Bipolaris sorokiniana, Dreschslem tritiei, Phoma sorghina, Microdochium oryzac, Bipolaris oryzae, Pyricularia grisea, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani.