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Konozy EHE, Osman MEFM, Dirar AI, Ghartey-Kwansah G. Plant lectins: A new antimicrobial frontier. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 155:113735. [PMID: 36152414 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other microbes constantly change to ensure survival. Several pathogens have adopted strict and intricate strategies to fight medical treatments. Many drugs, frequently prescribed to treat these pathogens, are becoming obsolete and ineffective. Because pathogens have gained the capacity to tolerate or resist medications targeted at them, hence the term antimicrobial resistance (AMR), in that regard, many natural compounds have been routinely used as new antimicrobial agents to treat infections. Thus, plant lectins, the carbohydrate-binding proteins, have been targeted as promising drug candidates. This article reviewed more than 150 published papers on plant lectins with promising antibacterial and antifungal properties. We have also demonstrated how some plant lectins could express a synergistic action as adjuvants to boost the efficacy of obsolete or abandoned antimicrobial drugs. Emphasis has also been given to their plausible mechanism of action. The study further reports on the immunomodulatory effect of plant lectins and how they boost the immune system to curb or prevent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amina I Dirar
- Medicinal, Aromatic Plants and Traditional Medicine Research Institute (MAPTRI), National Center for Research, Mek Nimr Street, Khartoum, Sudan.
| | - George Ghartey-Kwansah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
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2
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Lectins ConA and ConM extracted from Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC and Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC inhibit planktonic Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:346. [PMID: 35608680 PMCID: PMC9127036 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02959-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Lectins participate in the defense against microorganisms and in signaling the damage caused by pathogens to the cell surface and/or intracellular in plants. This study aims to analyze the antifungal potential of lectins extracted from seeds of Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC and Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC, against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. The antimicrobial tests were performed by microdilution against Candida spp. The test to verify the combined lectin/fluconazole effect was performed using subinhibitory concentrations of lectins and with antifungal ranging from 0.5 to 512 µg/mL. The ability to inhibit the morphological transition of Candida spp. was evaluated by microcultivation in a moist chamber. The results of the minimum inhibitory concentration revealed no antifungal activity against the tested strains. However, lectins modified the action of fluconazole, reducing the IC50 of the drug against C. albicans. Lectins were also able to discretely modulate the morphological transition of the tested strains.
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Fonseca VJA, Braga AL, Filho JR, Teixeira CS, da Hora GCA, Morais-Braga MFB. A review on the antimicrobial properties of lectins. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 195:163-178. [PMID: 34896466 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.11.209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Lectins are biologically versatile biomolecules with remarkable antimicrobial effects, notably against bacteria, fungi and protozoa, in addition to modulating host immunity. For this, the lectins bind to carbohydrates on the surface of the pathogen, which can cause damage to the cell wall and prevent the attachment of microorganisms to host cells. Thus, this study intends to review the biological activities of lectins, with an emphasis on antimicrobial activity. Lectins of plant stood out for its antimicrobial effects, demonstrating that they act against a variety of strains, where in vitro were able to inhibit their development and affect their morphology. In vivo, they modulated host immunity, signaling and activating defense cells. Some of these lectins were capable to modulate the action of antibiotics, indicating their potential to minimize the antibiotic resistance. The results suggest that lectins have antimicrobial activity with potential to be used in drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Juno Alencar Fonseca
- Laboratório de Micologia Aplicada do Cariri - LMAC, Universidade Regional do Cariri - URCA, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Ana Lays Braga
- Laboratório de Micologia Aplicada do Cariri - LMAC, Universidade Regional do Cariri - URCA, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Jaime Ribeiro Filho
- Laboratório de Investigação em Genética e Hematologia Translacional, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Claudener Souza Teixeira
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal do Cariri, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Gabriel C A da Hora
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0850, USA
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4
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Santos VF, Araújo ACJ, Freitas PR, Silva ALP, Santos ALE, Matias da Rocha BA, Silva RRS, Almeida DV, Garcia W, Coutinho HDM, Teixeira CS. Enhanced antibacterial activity of the gentamicin against multidrug-resistant strains when complexed with Canavalia ensiformis lectin. Microb Pathog 2020; 152:104639. [PMID: 33238197 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific to sugar groups associated to other molecules. In addition to interacting with carbohydrates, a number of studies have reported the ability of these proteins to modulate the activity of several antibiotics against multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. In this study, we report the enhanced antibacterial activity of the gentamicin against MDR strains when complexed with a lectin from Canavalia ensiformis seeds (ConA). Hemagglutination activity test and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that the gentamicin can interact with ConA most likely via the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) with binding constant (Kb) value estimated of (0.44 ± 0.04) x 104 M-1. Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) obtained for ConA against all strains studied were not clinically relevant (MIC ≥ 1024 μg/mL). However, when ConA was combined with gentamicin, a significant increase in antibiotic activity was observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The present study showed that ConA has an affinity for gentamicin and modulates its activity against MDR strains. These results indicate that ConA improves gentamicin performance and is a promising candidate for structure/function analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valdenice F Santos
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Federal Do Maranhão, Chapadinha, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Ana C J Araújo
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional Do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Priscilla R Freitas
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional Do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Ana L P Silva
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Federal Do Maranhão, Chapadinha, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Ana L E Santos
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Federal Do Maranhão, Chapadinha, Maranhão, Brazil
| | | | - Romério R S Silva
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Federal Do Maranhão, Chapadinha, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Dnane V Almeida
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal Do ABC (UFABC), Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Wanius Garcia
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal Do ABC (UFABC), Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Henrique D M Coutinho
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional Do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil.
| | - Claudener S Teixeira
- Instituto de Formação de Educadores, Universidade Federal Do Cariri, Brejo Santo, Ceará, Brazil.
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5
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Antimicrobial peptides from Capsicum chinense fruits: agronomic alternatives against phytopathogenic fungi. Biosci Rep 2020; 40:226054. [PMID: 32785580 PMCID: PMC7442975 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20200950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the antimicrobial activity of peptides isolated from a wide variety of organs from plant species has been reported. However, a few studies have investigated the potential of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) found in fruits, especially Capsicum chinense (pepper). The present study aimed to purify and characterize peptides from Capsicum chinense fruits and evaluate their inhibitory activities against different phytopathogenic fungi and also analyze the possible mechanisms of action involved in microbial inhibition. After fruit protein extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), different fractions were obtained, named F1 to F10. Peptides in the F4 and F5 fractions were sequenced and revealed similarity with the plant antimicrobial peptides like non-specific lipid transfer proteins and defensin-like peptide. The F4 and F5 fractions presented strong antimicrobial activity against the fungus Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum, causing toxic effects on these fungi, leading to membrane permeabilization, endogenous reactive oxygen species increase, activation of metacaspase and loss of mitochondrial function.
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Del Rio M, de la Canal L, Pinedo M, Regente M. Internalization of a sunflower mannose-binding lectin into phytopathogenic fungal cells induces cytotoxicity. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 221:22-31. [PMID: 29223879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Lectins are carbohydrate-affinity proteins with the ability to recognize and reversibly bind specific glycoconjugates. We have previously isolated a bioactive sunflower mannose-binding lectin belonging to the jacalin-related family called Helja. Despite of the significant number of plant lectins described in the literature, only a small group exhibits antifungal activity and the mechanism by which they kill fungi is still not understood. The aim of this work was to explore Helja activity on plant pathogenic fungi, and provide insights into its mechanism of action. Through cellular and biochemical experimental approaches, here we show that Helja exerts an antifungal effect on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a sunflower pathogen. The lectin interacts with the fungal spore surface, permeabilizes its plasma membrane, can be internalized into the cell and induces oxidative stress, finally leading to the cell death. On the other hand, Helja is inactive towards Fusarium solani, a non-pathogen of sunflower, showing the selective action of the lectin. The mechanistic basis for the antifungal activity of an extracellular jacalin lectin is presented, suggesting its initial interaction with fungal cell wall carbohydrates and further internalization. The implication of our findings for plant defense is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianela Del Rio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Laura de la Canal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Marcela Pinedo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - Mariana Regente
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
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7
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POMPEU DG, MATTIOLI MA, RIBEIRO RIMDA, GONÇALVES DB, MAGALHÃES JTD, MARANGONI S, SILVA JAD, GRANJEIRO PA. Purification, partial characterization and antimicrobial activity of Lectin from Chenopodium Quinoa seeds. FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-457x.6823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Molecular Mechanism Underlying the Entomotoxic Effect of Colocasia esculenta Tuber Agglutinin against Dysdercus cingulatus. INSECTS 2015. [PMCID: PMC4693173 DOI: 10.3390/insects6040827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Colocasia esculenta tuber agglutinin (CEA), a mannose binding lectin, exhibits insecticidal efficacy against different hemipteran pests. Dysdercus cingulatus, red cotton bug (RCB), has also shown significant susceptibility to CEA intoxication. However, the molecular basis behind such entomotoxicity of CEA has not been addressed adequately. The present study elucidates the mechanism of insecticidal efficacy of CEA against RCB. Confocal and scanning electron microscopic analyses documented CEA binding to insect midgut tissue, resulting in an alteration of perimicrovillar membrane (PMM) morphology. Internalization of CEA into insect haemolymph and ovary was documented by western blotting analyses. Ligand blot followed by mass spectrometric identification revealed the cognate binding partners of CEA as actin, ATPase and cytochrome P450. Deglycosylation and mannose inhibition assays indicated the interaction to probably be mannose mediated. Bioinformatic identification of putative glycosylation or mannosylation sites in the binding partners further supports the sugar mediated interaction. Correlating entomotoxicity of CEA with immune histological and binding assays to the insect gut contributes to a better understanding of the insecticidal potential of CEA and endorses its future biotechnological application.
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Lyons R, Stiller J, Powell J, Rusu A, Manners JM, Kazan K. Fusarium oxysporum triggers tissue-specific transcriptional reprogramming in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121902. [PMID: 25849296 PMCID: PMC4388846 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Some of the most devastating agricultural diseases are caused by root-infecting pathogens, yet the majority of studies on these interactions to date have focused on the host responses of aerial tissues rather than those belowground. Fusarium oxysporum is a root-infecting pathogen that causes wilt disease on several plant species including Arabidopsis thaliana. To investigate and compare transcriptional changes triggered by F. oxysporum in different Arabidopsis tissues, we infected soil-grown plants with F. oxysporum and subjected root and leaf tissue harvested at early and late timepoints to RNA-seq analyses. At least half of the genes induced or repressed by F. oxysporum showed tissue-specific regulation. Regulators of auxin and ABA signalling, mannose binding lectins and peroxidases showed strong differential expression in root tissue. We demonstrate that ARF2 and PRX33, two genes regulated in the roots, promote susceptibility to F. oxysporum. In the leaves, defensins and genes associated with the response to auxin, cold and senescence were strongly regulated while jasmonate biosynthesis and signalling genes were induced throughout the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Lyons
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Jiri Stiller
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jonathan Powell
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Anca Rusu
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - John M. Manners
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Kemal Kazan
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, 4067, Australia
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Guidarelli M, Zoli L, Orlandini A, Bertolini P, Baraldi E. The mannose-binding lectin gene FaMBL1 is involved in the resistance of unripe strawberry fruits to Colletotrichum acutatum. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2014; 15:832-40. [PMID: 24690196 PMCID: PMC6638621 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Colletotrichum acutatum is the causal agent of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) anthracnose. Although the fungus can infect strawberry fruits at both unripe and ripe stages, the symptoms appear only on red ripe fruits. On white unripe fruits, the pathogen becomes quiescent as melanized appressoria after 24 h of interaction. Previous transcriptome analysis has indicated that a mannose-binding lectin (MBL) gene is the most up-regulated gene in 24-h-infected white strawberries, suggesting a role for this gene in the low susceptibility of unripe stages. A time course analysis of the expression of this MBL gene, named FaMBL1 (Fragaria × ananassa MBL 1a), was undertaken to monitor its expression profile in white and red fruits at early interaction times: FaMBL1 was expressed exclusively in white fruit after 24 h, when the pathogen was quiescent. Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation was used to silence and overexpress the FaMBL1 gene in 24-h-infected white and red strawberries, respectively. FaMBL1-silenced unripe fruits showed an increase in susceptibility to C. acutatum. These 24-h-infected tissues contained subcuticular hyphae, indicating pathogen penetration and active growth. In contrast, overexpression of FaMBL1 in ripe fruits decreased susceptibility; here, 24-h-infected tissues showed a high percentage of ungerminated appressoria, suggesting that the growth of the pathogen had slowed. These data suggest that FaMBL1 plays a crucial role in the resistance of unripe strawberry fruits to C. acutatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Guidarelli
- Department of Agricultural Sciences (DIPSA), University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 46, Bologna, 40127, Italy
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Li Y, Li T, Li J, Liu D, Yang J, Yang J, Zhang F, Sun S. Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a Sophora alopecuroides lectin from Escherichia coli. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2014; 46:749-56. [PMID: 25033829 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmu060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sophora alopecuroides lectin (SAL) has been isolated from the seeds and confirmed to have antifungal and antitumor activities, and presently the preparation of the natural lectin was cumbersome, time-consuming, and the yield was relatively low for further analysis. In this study, the signal peptide of lectin, the modification sites, and the secondary structure were analyzed, and the three-dimensional structures of SAL were modeled. The gene of SAL was amplified by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and cloned into the pET-30a vector and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) by the induction of isopropyl-beta-d-thiogalactopyranoside. Totally, 400 mg of recombinant SAL (rSAL) was purified from 1 l of bacterial culture through Ni-NTA agarose column and the purity reached 95%. The recombinant protein was further confirmed by western blot using rSAL-specific antibody. The biological activity analysis results showed that rSAL exclusively bound to d-galactose and had universal hemagglutinating activities to human A, B, O, and AB, and rabbit and mouse erythrocytes. rSAL also inhibited the growth of fungi, the proliferation of cancer cells, and the HIV-I reverse transcriptase activity. In conclusion, this study indicates that rSAL can be produced in large quantities in the prokaryotic expression system and the recombinant protein still retains the various biological activities, which will make the large-scale production of SAL recombinant protein at dramatically reduced cost possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
| | - Jinyao Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
| | - Dongliang Liu
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
| | - Jianhua Yang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China Texas Children's Cancer Center, Department of Pediatrics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fuchun Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
| | - Surong Sun
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumuqi 830046, China
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Moreira GMSG, Conceição FR, McBride AJA, Pinto LDS. Structure predictions of two Bauhinia variegata lectins reveal patterns of C-terminal properties in single chain legume lectins. PLoS One 2013; 8:e81338. [PMID: 24260572 PMCID: PMC3834338 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bauhinia variegata lectins (BVL-I and BVL-II) are single chain lectins isolated from the plant Bauhinia variegata. Single chain lectins undergo post-translational processing on its N-terminal and C-terminal regions, which determines their physiological targeting, carbohydrate binding activity and pattern of quaternary association. These two lectins are isoforms, BVL-I being highly glycosylated, and thus far, it has not been possible to determine their structures. The present study used prediction and validation algorithms to elucidate the likely structures of BVL-I and -II. The program Bhageerath-H was chosen from among three different structure prediction programs due to its better overall reliability. In order to predict the C-terminal region cleavage sites, other lectins known to have this modification were analysed and three rules were created: (1) the first amino acid of the excised peptide is small or hydrophobic; (2) the cleavage occurs after an acid, polar, or hydrophobic residue, but not after a basic one; and (3) the cleavage spot is located 5-8 residues after a conserved Leu amino acid. These rules predicted that BVL-I and -II would have fifteen C-terminal residues cleaved, and this was confirmed experimentally by Edman degradation sequencing of BVL-I. Furthermore, the C-terminal analyses predicted that only BVL-II underwent α-helical folding in this region, similar to that seen in SBA and DBL. Conversely, BVL-I and -II contained four conserved regions of a GS-I association, providing evidence of a previously undescribed X4+unusual oligomerisation between the truncated BVL-I and the intact BVL-II. This is the first report on the structural analysis of lectins from Bauhinia spp. and therefore is important for the characterisation C-terminal cleavage and patterns of quaternary association of single chain lectins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo M. S. G. Moreira
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Fabricio R. Conceição
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Alan J. A. McBride
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luciano da S. Pinto
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Li T, Yin X, Liu D, Ma X, Lv H, Sun S. Isolation and characterization of a novel lectin with antifungal and antiproliferative activities from Sophora alopecuroides seeds. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2012; 44:606-13. [PMID: 22634632 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gms037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sophora alopecuroides lectin (SAL), a novel lectin from the seeds of Sophora alopecuroides, was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)- and carboxymethyl (CM)-Sepharose columns, followed by gel filtration on a Sephadex 75 10/300 GL column. SAL was found to be a monomer of 39916.3 Da, as determined by tricine-sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The N-terminal 10-amino acid sequence of SAL, KPWALSFSFG, resembles those of other legume lectins. SAL exhibits hemagglutinating activity against rabbit erythrocytes at 11.9 μg/ml. Its hemagglutinating activity is stable in the pH range 7-11 and in the temperature range 30-90°C, and is stimulated by Mn(2+). The hemagglutinating activity of SAL is most potently inhibited by 50-mM d-galactose. SAL suppresses mycelial growth in Penicillium digitatum and Alternaria alternata; the IC(50) of the antifungal activity toward P. digitatum and A. alternata were found to be 3.125 and 3.338 μM, respectively. SAL suppresses the proliferation of human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) at an IC(50) of 6.25 μM (P< 0.05). But it has no inhibiting effect on bacteria. This is the first report of a lectin from seeds of S. alopecuroides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
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14
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de Vasconcelos MA, Cunha CO, Arruda FVS, Carneiro VA, Mercante FM, Neto LGDN, de Sousa GS, Rocha BAM, Teixeira EH, Cavada BS, dos Santos RP. Lectin from Canavalia brasiliensis seeds (ConBr) is a valuable biotechnological tool to stimulate the growth of Rhizobium tropici in vitro. Molecules 2012; 17:5244-54. [PMID: 22565477 PMCID: PMC6268693 DOI: 10.3390/molecules17055244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2012] [Revised: 04/22/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To study the interactions between a Rhizobium tropici strain and lectins isolated from the seeds of Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr), a lectin fluorescence assay was performed. In addition, an experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of the two lectins on bacterial growth. Both lectins were found to bind to R. tropici cells, but the interactions were inhibited by D-mannose. Interestingly, only ConBr stimulated bacterial growth in proportion to the concentrations used (15.6–500 µg/mL), and the bacterial growth stimulation was inhibited by D-mannose as well. Structure/Function analyses by bioinformatics were carried out to evaluate the volume and carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) configuration of ConA and ConBr. The difference of spatial arrangement and volume of CRD may indicate the variation between biological activities of both lectins. The results suggest that ConBr could be a promising tool for studies focusing on the interactions between rhizobia and host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayron Alves de Vasconcelos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60440-970, Brazil; (M.A.V.); (C.O.C.); (B.A.M.R.)
| | - Claudio Oliveira Cunha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60440-970, Brazil; (M.A.V.); (C.O.C.); (B.A.M.R.)
| | - Francisco Vassiliepe Sousa Arruda
- Integrated Laboratory of Biomolecules (LIBS), School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Sobral, CE 62042-280, Brazil; (F.V.S.A.); (V.A.C.); (L.G.N.N.); (E.H.T.)
| | - Victor Alves Carneiro
- Integrated Laboratory of Biomolecules (LIBS), School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Sobral, CE 62042-280, Brazil; (F.V.S.A.); (V.A.C.); (L.G.N.N.); (E.H.T.)
| | | | - Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Neto
- Integrated Laboratory of Biomolecules (LIBS), School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Sobral, CE 62042-280, Brazil; (F.V.S.A.); (V.A.C.); (L.G.N.N.); (E.H.T.)
| | - Giselly Soares de Sousa
- Computer Engineering/Biotechnology Center of Sobral, Federal University of Ceara, CE 62011-000, Brazil;
| | - Bruno Anderson Matias Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60440-970, Brazil; (M.A.V.); (C.O.C.); (B.A.M.R.)
| | - Edson Holanda Teixeira
- Integrated Laboratory of Biomolecules (LIBS), School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Sobral, CE 62042-280, Brazil; (F.V.S.A.); (V.A.C.); (L.G.N.N.); (E.H.T.)
| | - Benildo Sousa Cavada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60440-970, Brazil; (M.A.V.); (C.O.C.); (B.A.M.R.)
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; (B.S.C.); (R.P.S.); Tel./Fax: +55-85-3366-9818 (B.S.C.); Tel.: +55-88-3613-2829 (R.P.S.)
| | - Ricardo Pires dos Santos
- Computer Engineering/Biotechnology Center of Sobral, Federal University of Ceara, CE 62011-000, Brazil;
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; (B.S.C.); (R.P.S.); Tel./Fax: +55-85-3366-9818 (B.S.C.); Tel.: +55-88-3613-2829 (R.P.S.)
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Morais JKS, Gomes VM, Oliveira JTA, Santos IS, Da Cunha M, Oliveira HD, Oliveira HP, Sousa DOB, Vasconcelos IM. Soybean toxin (SBTX), a protein from soybeans that inhibits the life cycle of plant and human pathogenic fungi. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2010; 58:10356-63. [PMID: 20831249 DOI: 10.1021/jf101688k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Soybean toxin (SBTX) is a 44 kDa glycoprotein that is lethal to mice (LD(50) = 5.6 mg/kg). This study reports the toxicity of SBTX on pathogenic fungi and yeasts and the mechanism of its action. SBTX inhibited spore germination of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium herguei and was toxic to Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Kluyveromyces marxiannus , Pichia membranifaciens, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, SBTX hampered the growth of C. albicans and K. marxiannus and inhibited the glucose-stimulated acidification of the incubation medium by S. cerevisiae, suggesting that SBTX interferes with intracellular proton transport to the external medium. Moreover, SBTX caused cell-wall disruption, condensation/shrinkage of cytosol, pseudohyphae formation, and P. membranifaciens and C. parapsilosis cell death. SBTX is toxic to fungi at concentrations far below the dose lethal to mice and has potential in the design of new antifungal drugs or in the development of transgenic crops resistant to pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janne Keila S Morais
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, CEP 60451-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
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