Hirudin

This article is about the anticoagulant peptide secreted by leeches. For the Austra album, see Hirudin (album).
Hirudin
Structure of hirudin (ball-stick model) in complex with thrombin (ribbon model).[1]
Identifiers
SymbolHirudin
PfamPF00713
InterProIPR000429
SCOP24htc / SCOPe / SUPFAM
Available protein structures:
Pfam  structures / ECOD  
PDBRCSB PDB; PDBe; PDBj
PDBsumstructure summary

Hirudin is a naturally occurring peptide in the salivary glands of blood-sucking leeches (such as Hirudo medicinalis) that has a blood anticoagulant property.[2] This is essential for the leeches' habit of feeding on blood, since it keeps a host's blood flowing after the worm's initial puncture of the skin.

Hirudin (MEROPS I14.001) belongs to a superfamily (MEROPS IM) of protease inhibitors that also includes haemadin (MEROPS I14.002) and antistasin (MEROPS I15).[3][4]

  1. ^ PDB: 4HTC​
  2. ^ "IV. On the action of a secretion obtained from the medicinal leech on the coagulation of the blood". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. 36 (228–231): 478–487. 1883. doi:10.1098/rspl.1883.0135.
  3. ^ "InterPro". www.ebi.ac.uk.
  4. ^ "Clan IM". MEROPS - the Peptidase Database.