Proteomic identification and purification of seed proteins from native Amazonian species displaying antifungal activity

Abstract

Seeds of native species from the rain forest (Amazon) are source of chitinases and their protein extracts exhibited strong and broad antifungal activity. Numerous plant species native to the Amazon have not yet been chemically studied. Studies of seeds are scarcer, since adversities in accessing study areas and seasonality pose constant hurdles to systematic research. In this study, proteins were extracted from seeds belonging to endemic Amazon species and were investigated for the first time. Proteolytic activity, peptidase inhibitors, and chitinases were identified, but chitinolytic activity predominated. Four proteins were purified through chromatography and identified as lectin and chitinases by MS/MS analyses. The proteins were examined for inhibition of a phytopathogen (Fusarium oxysporum). Analyses by fluorescence microscopy suggested binding of propidium iodide to DNA of fungal spores, revealing that spore integrity was lost when accessed by the proteins. Further structural and functional analyses of defensive proteins belonging to species facing highly complex ecosystems such as Amazonia should be conducted, since these could provide new insights into specificity and synergism involving defense proteins of plants submitted to a very complex ecosystem.

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Homogenous Novel Bioactive Protein from Datura stramonium Stem Exhibited Larvicidal Activity against Anopheles stephensi

“…The MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of this purified protein was 13 μ g/ml and 15 μ g/ml against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria [ 37 ]. The protein purified and identified from the native Amazonian species exhibited antifungal activity [ 38 ]. In the present study, proteins have been isolated, purified, and characterized from the stem of D. stramonium that exhibited larvicidal activity against An.…”

Leguminosae Lectins as Biological Tools in Medical Research: a Review

“…Fungi of Aspergillus genus are the most common associated to fruit rot during storage, but can also cause aspergillosis in humans [38]. In a study with protein from seeds native Amazonian plants, Ramos and coauthors [39] identified lectin in Dimorphandra parviflora Benth., whose extract showed action against the fungi Aspergillus favus and Aspergillus niger. Candida fungi are among the most isolated in clinical mycology laboratories [40].…”

“…The CasuL, lectin isolated from C. surinamensis leaf was tested against C. krusei showed sensitivity to it, with drastic morphological changes, retraction of cytoplasmic content and cell disruption [21] Fusarium fungi affect plants, but can cause opportunistic infections in humans. Swartzia longistipitata Ducke lectin showed antimicrobial activity against F. oxysporum [39]. The lectins of P. vulgaries (named PL by authors) and Glycine max (L.) Merr.…”