Cationic amphipathic alpha-helical antimicrobial peptide with potent activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, fungi and protozoa (PubMed:8306981, PubMed:12709067, PubMed:16401077, PubMed:18637027, PubMed:19113844). Acts in a synergistic effect in combination with Plasticin-B1 at doses that are not active alone (PubMed:12709067). Acts by disturbing membrane functions (PubMed:19113844). On model mebranes, induces a strong perturbation of anionic lipid bilayers, resides at the hydrocarbon core-water interface, parallel to the plane of the membrane, and interacts preferentially with the polar head groups and glycerol backbone region of the anionic phospholipids, as well as the region of the lipid acyl chain near the bilayer surface (PubMed:19113844). It induces a positive curvature of the bilayer and clustering of anionic lipids, consistent with a carpet mechanism, that may lead to the formation of mixed peptide-phospholipid toroidal, transient pores and membrane permeation/disruption once a threshold peptide accumulation is reached (PubMed:19113844). Also enhances binding of agonists to adenosine A1 receptors (ADORA1), adenosine A2a receptors (ADORA2A), alpha-2 adrenergic receptors (ADRA2A) and 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptors (HTR1A) (PubMed:1438301, PubMed:8565049). In addition, it enhances guanyl nucleotide exchange which may result in the conversion of receptors to a high affinity state complexed with guanyl nucleotide free G-protein (PubMed:7842473). It affects human behavior eliciting profound malaise, followed by listlessness and then euphoria. It does not show cytotoxic activity on CHO cells (PubMed:19113844). It does not act as a chemoattractant (PubMed:18637027). It does not show hemolytic activity (PubMed:8306981, PubMed:19113844). Firstly parallelly oriented to the membrane surface, the peptide may mix to phospholipids, forming toroidal and transient pores in the membrane. Expressed by the skin glands. Has a helix-hinge-helix sructural motif. Amidation permits an increased antimicrobial activity against some microorganisms such as T.album and S.cerevisiae. May contain a D-amino acid residue, since the natural peptide is not identical in chromatographic properties to the synthetic peptide. Belongs to the frog skin active peptide (FSAP) family. Dermaseptin subfamily.