First report of a glutamine-rich antifungal peptide with immunomodulatory and antiproliferative activities from family Amaryllidaceae.

Abstract

This represents the first report of purification of a glutamine-rich antifungal peptide from family Amarylliaceace. The peptide, designated as nartazin, was purified from the bulbs of the Chinese daffodil Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis by means of ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography. Its molecular mass was 7.1kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. Nartazin stimulated proliferation of mouse splenocytes and bone marrow cells but inhibited proliferation of leukemia L1210 cells. It also inhibited translation in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. The sequence of its first 20 N-terminal residues was characterized by an abundance of glutamine. The peptide possessed antifungal activity on four phytopathogenic fungi. Its activity was retained after incubation with bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin (enzyme: substrate ratio 1:10 w/w) at 37 degrees C for 1h but was attenuated after treatment with proteinase K. The data revealed its pronounced resistance to proteolytic digestion.

• Authors: Kin Tak Chu, Tzi Bun Ng
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 325 Issue 1 Pg. 167-73 (Dec 03 2004) ISSN: 0006-291X [Print] United States
• PMID: 15522215 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Immunologic Factors
• Peptides
• Plant Extracts
• Plant Proteins
• nartazin
• Glutamine

Topics

• Animals
• Antifungal Agents (isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Antineoplastic Agents (isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Bone Marrow Cells (drug effects)
• Cattle
• Cell Proliferation
• Cells, Cultured
• Fungi (drug effects)
• Glutamine (metabolism)
• Immunologic Factors (genetics, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Liliaceae (chemistry)
• Macrophages (drug effects)
• Mice
• Molecular Weight
• Peptides (genetics, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Plant Extracts (chemistry, genetics, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Plant Proteins (genetics, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Rabbits
• Spleen (cytology, drug effects)