Network Toxicology and Molecular Docking to Investigate the Non-AChE Mechanisms of Organophosphate-Induced Neurodevelopmental Toxicity

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are toxic substances that contaminate aquatic environments, interfere with the development of the nervous system, and induce Neurodevelopmental Toxicity (NDT) in animals and humans. The canonical mechanism of OP neurotoxicity involves the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), but other mechanisms non-AChE are also involved and not fully understood. We used network toxicology and molecular docking to identify molecular targets and toxicity mechanisms common to OPs. Targets related to diazinon-oxon, chlorpyrifos oxon, and paraoxon OPs were predicted using the Swiss Target Prediction and PharmMapper databases. Targets related to NDT were compiled from GeneCards and OMIM databases. In order to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, the common targets between OPs and NDT were imported into the STRING. Network topological analyses identified EGFR, MET, HSP90AA1, and SRC as hub nodes common to the three OPs. Using the Reactome pathway and gene ontology, we found that signal transduction, axon guidance, cellular responses to stress, and glutamatergic signaling activation play key roles in OP-induced NDT.

Orbitides and free polyamines have similarly limited fungicidal activity against three common pathogens of flax in vitro

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini and Septoria linicola are causes of fusarium wilt and pasmo in flax ( Linum usitatissimum). Members of a third fungal genus, Alternaria spp., have also been found in fiber and linseed varieties of flax, and are a source of post-harvest spoilage and mycotoxins in a wide range of crops. We performed a microdilution assay and calculated the median effective concentration (EC50) to compare the potency of cyclolinopeptides (CLPs), two polyamines (spermidine and spermine), and the fungicide carbendazimin in the control of three fungi that have potential pathogenic activity ( F. oxysporum, S. linicola, and Alternaria spp), of which the first two are particulary significant causes of disease in flax. For carbendazim, all EC50 values were <0.6 μg/mL. The observed EC50 ranged from 111 to 340 μg/mL for a mixture of six unique CLPs, 109 to 778 μg/mL for spermine, and 21 to 272 μg/mL for spermidine. Spermidine was most effective against Alternaria sp., with an EC50 of 21 μg/mL. The results presented here showed that polyamines and CLPs possess limited antifungal activities against several fungi, with spermidines the most effective naturally occurring compound tested. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that CLPs act as potent antifungals against the three species of pathogens tested.

An overview of databases and bioinformatics tools for plant antimicrobial peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small, ribosomally synthesized proteins found in nearly all forms of life. In plants, AMPs play a central role in plant defense due to their distinct physicochemical properties. Due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and rapid killing action, plant AMPs have become important candidates for the development of new drugs to control plant and animal pathogens that are resistant to multiple drugs. Further research is required to explore the potential uses of these natural compounds. Computational strategies have been increasingly used to understand key aspects of antimicrobial peptides. These strategies will help to minimize the time and cost of "wet-lab" experimentation. Researchers have developed various tools and databases to provide updated information on AMPs. However, despite the increased availability of antimicrobial peptide resources in biological databases, finding AMPs from plants can still be a difficult task. The number of plant AMP sequences in current databases is still small and yet often redundant. To facilitate further characterization of plant AMPs, we have summarized information on the location, distribution, and annotations of plant AMPs available in the most relevant databases for AMPs research. We also mapped and categorized the bioinformatics tools available in these databases. We expect that this will allow researchers to advance in the discovery and development of new plant AMPs with potent biological properties. We hope to provide insights to further expand the application of AMPs in the fields of biotechnology, pharmacy, and agriculture.