Abstract: The present invention provides compositions useful as antimicrobial agents which include reptilian hemoglobin, the &agr; and &bgr; chains of hemoglobin free of heme, fragments of said proteins or polypeptide fragments thereof and combinations thereof. The compositions exert antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and fungi that is comparable to known antimicrobial peptides from human neutrophils, cathepsin G and azurocidin. Sensitive organisms include Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aerioginosa, and the fungus Candida albicans. Methods for preparing the compositions also are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions useful as antimicrobial agents which include mammalian hemoglobin, the &agr; and &bgr; chains of hemoglobin free of heme, fragments of the &agr; and &bgr; chains that result from cyanogen bromide cleavage of the &agr; and &bgr; chains, and synthetic peptides derived therefrom. The compositions exert antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and fungi that is comparable to known antimicrobial peptides from human neutrophils, cathepsin G and azurocidin. Sensitive organisms include Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis, and the fungus Candida albicans. Methods for preparing the compositions also are provided.