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Unuofin JO, Odeniyi OA, Majengbasan OS, Igwaran A, Moloantoa KM, Khetsha ZP, Iwarere SA, Daramola MO. Chitinases: expanding the boundaries of knowledge beyond routinized chitin degradation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-33728-6. [PMID: 38789707 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33728-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Chitinases, enzymes that degrade chitin, have long been studied for their role in various biological processes. They play crucial roles in the moulting process of invertebrates, the digestion of chitinous food, and defense against chitin-bearing pathogens. Additionally, chitinases are involved in physiological functions in crustaceans, such as chitinous food digestion, moulting, and stress response. Moreover, chitinases are universally distributed in organisms from viruses to mammals and have diverse functions including tissue degradation and remodeling, nutrition uptake, pathogen invasion, and immune response regulation. The discovery of these diverse functions expands our understanding of the biological significance and potential applications of chitinases. However, recent research has shown that chitinases possess several other functions beyond just chitin degradation. Their potential as biopesticides, therapeutic agents, and tools for bioremediation underscores their significance in addressing global challenges. More importantly, we noted that they may be applied as bioweapons if ethical regulations regarding production, engineering and application are overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Onolame Unuofin
- Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group (SEERG), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | | | | | - Aboi Igwaran
- The Life Science Center Biology, School of Sciences and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Karabelo MacMillan Moloantoa
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of Kwazulu Natal, Private Bag X540001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Zenzile Peter Khetsha
- Department of Agriculture, Central University of Technology, Free State, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Samuel Ayodele Iwarere
- Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group (SEERG), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Michael Olawale Daramola
- Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group (SEERG), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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Coleman MI, Khan M, Gbodossou E, Diop A, DeBarros K, Duong H, Bond VC, Floyd V, Kondwani K, Montgomery Rice V, Villinger F, Powell MD. Identification of a Novel Anti-HIV-1 Protein from Momordica balsamina Leaf Extract. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192215227. [PMID: 36429944 PMCID: PMC9690441 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Our lab investigates the anti-HIV-1 activity in Momordica balsamina (M. balsamina) leaf extract. Traditional Senegalese healers have used M. balsamina leaf extract as a part of a plant-based treatment for HIV/AIDS infections. Our overall goal is to define and validate the scientific basis for using M. balsamina leaf extract as a part of the traditional Senegalese treatment. As an initial characterization of this extract, we used activity-guided fractionation to determine the active ingredient's solubility and relative size. We found that M. balsamina leaf extract inhibits HIV-1 infection by >50% at concentrations of 0.02 mg/mL and above and is not toxic over its inhibitory range (0-0.5 mg/mL). We observed significantly more antiviral activity in direct water and acetonitrile extractions (p ≤ 0.05). We also observed significantly more antiviral activity in the aqueous phases of ethyl acetate, chloroform, and diethyl ether extractions (p ≤ 0.05). Though most of the antiviral activity partitioned into the aqueous layers, some antiviral activity was present in the organic layers. We show that the active agent in the plant extracts is at least 30 kD in size. Significantly more antiviral activity was retained in 3, 10, and 30 kD molecular weight cutoff filters (p ≤ 0.05). In contrast, most of the antiviral activity passed through the 100 kD filter (p ≤ 0.05). Because the active anti-HIV-1 agent presented as a large, amphiphilic molecule we ran the purified extract on an SDS-page gel. We show that the anti-HIV-1 activity in the leaf extracts is attributed to a 30 kDa protein we call MoMo30. This article describes how MoMo30 was determined to be responsible for its anti-HIV-1 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan I. Coleman
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Mahfuz Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | | | - Amad Diop
- Malango Traditional Healers Association, Fatick BP 1763, Senegal
| | - Kenya DeBarros
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Hao Duong
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Vincent C. Bond
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Virginia Floyd
- Department of Community Health and Prevention, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Kofi Kondwani
- Department of Community Health and Prevention, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Valerie Montgomery Rice
- Office of the President, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Francois Villinger
- Department of Biology Director, New Iberia Research Center, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 4401 W Admiral Doyle Drive, New Iberia, LA 70560, USA
| | - Michael D. Powell
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-404-752-1582
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Russo C, Morello G, Mannino G, Russo A, Malaguarnera L. Immunoregulation of Ghrelin in neurocognitive sequelae associated with COVID-19: an in silico investigation. Gene 2022; 834:146647. [PMID: 35680023 PMCID: PMC9169425 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Some patients suffering from the new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) develop an exaggerated inflammatory response triggered by a “cytokine storm” resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with the concomitant activation of non-specific inflammatory reactivity in the circulatory system and other organs, leading to multiorgan failure, leaky vasculature, coagulopathies and stroke. Impairment of brain functions may also occur as dysregulations in immune function resulting from neuroendocrine interactions. In this study, we explored, by bioinformatics approaches, the interaction between the multiple inflammatory agents involved in SARS-CoV-2 and Ghrelin (Ghre) together with its receptor GHSR-1A, which are described as anti-inflammatory mediators, in order to investigate what could trigger the hyper-inflammatory response in some SARS-CoV-2 patients. In our analysis, we found several interactions of Ghre and GHSR-1A with SARS-CoV-2 interacting human genes. We observed a correlation between Ghre, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 ACE2, toll-like receptors 9 (TLR9), and Acidic chitinase (CHIA), whereas its receptor GHSR-1A interacts with chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), CCR3, CCR5, CCR7, coagulation factor II (thrombin) receptor-like 1 (F2RL1), vitamin D receptor (VDR), Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) and DDP4 in receptor dipeptidyl peptidase-4. To our knowledge, our findings show, for the first time, that Ghre and GHSR-1A may exert an immunomodulatory function in the course of SARS-Cov-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Russo
- Pathology Section, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Giuliana Mannino
- Physiology Section, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Physiology section, Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonella Russo
- Physiology Section, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Lucia Malaguarnera
- Pathology Section, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
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Singh RV, Sambyal K, Negi A, Sonwani S, Mahajan R. Chitinases production: A robust enzyme and its industrial applications. BIOCATAL BIOTRANSFOR 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/10242422.2021.1883004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Krishika Sambyal
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, India
| | - Anjali Negi
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, India
| | - Shubham Sonwani
- Department of Biosciences, Christian Eminent College, Indore, India
| | - Ritika Mahajan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Sciences, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, India
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