Enzymatic specificity of three ribosome-inactivating proteins against fungal ribosomes,and correlation with antifungal activity

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are enzymes that cleave a specific adenine base from the highly conserved sarcin/ricin (S/R) loop of the large ribosomal RNA, thus arresting protein synthesis at the translocation step. In the present study, we employed three RIPs to dissect the antifungal activity of RIPs as plant defense proteins. We measured the catalytic activity of RAT (the catalytic A-chain of ricin from Ricinus communis L.), saporin-S6 (from Saponaria officinalis L.), and ME (RIP from Mirabilis expansa R&P) against intact ribosomal substrates isolated from various pathogenic fungi. We further determined the enzymatic specificity of these three RIPs against fungal ribosomes, from Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, Alternaria solani Sorauer, Trichoderma reesei Simmons and Candida albicans Berkhout, and correlated the data with antifungal activity. RAT showed the strongest toxicity against all tested fungal ribosomes, except for the ribosomes isolated from C. albicans, which were most susceptible to saporin. RAT and saporin showed higher enzymatic activity than ME against ribosomes from all of the fungal species assayed, but did not show detectable antifungal activity. In contrast, ME showed substantial inhibitory activity against fungal growth. Using N-hydroxysuccinimide-fluorescein labeling of RIPs and fluorescence microscopy, we determined that ME was targeted to the surface of fungal cells and transferred into the cells. Thus, ME caused ribosome depurination and subsequent fungal mortality. In contrast, saporin did not interact with fungal cells, correlating with its lack of antifungal activity.     

An Antifungal Protein Purified from Pearl Millet Seeds Shows Sequence Homology to Lipid Transfer Proteins

In the course of a search for antifungal proteins from plant seeds, we observed inhibition of mycelial growth of Trichoderma viride with extracts of pearl millet. We have identified several proteins with antifungal properties in the seeds of pearl millet. One of these proteins has been purified to homogeneity and characterized. The purified protein has a molecular mass of 25 kDa. The N-terminal sequence of the protein (25 residues) shows homology to non-specific lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) of cotton, wheat and barley. The purified LTP inhibited mycelial growth of T. viride and the rice sheath blight fungus, Rhizoctonia solani in vitro.     

Antifungal activity of chitin-binding PR-4 type proteins from barley grain and stressed leaf.

Antifungal activity in vitro has been associated with barley leaf and grain proteins which are homologous with pathogenesis related proteins of type 4 (PR-4) from tobacco and tomato and with C terminal domains of potato win and Hevea hevein precursor proteins. One protein (pI approximately 9.3, M(r) approximately 13.7 kDa) from barley grain and two very similar proteins from leaves infected with Erysiphe graminis were isolated by chitin affinity chromatography, but none of the proteins showed chitinase activity in vitro. The leaf proteins were increased several fold in response to either Erysiphe infection or NiCl2 infiltration and accumulated extracellularly. The three barley proteins were found to inhibit growth of Trichoderma harzianum in microtiter plate assays using approximately 10 micrograms/ml concentrations and in lower concentrations in a synergistic way when mixed either with barley chitinase C (a PR-3 type protein) or with barley protein R (a PR-5 type protein). Structurally similar proteins were detected in wheat, rye and oats grain extracts.     

Quantitative analysis of the protein composition of yeast ribosomes

The molecular weights of the individual yeast ribosomal proteins were determined. The ribosomal proteins from the 40-S subunit have molecular weights ranging from 11 800 to 31 000 (average molecular weight = 21 300). The molecular weights of the 60-S subunit proteins range from 10 000 to 48 400 (average molecular weight = 21 800). Stoichiometric measurements, performed by densitometric scanning on ribosomal proteins extracted from high-salt dissociated subunits revealed that isolated ribosomal subunits contain, besides some protein species occurring in submolar amounts, a number of protein species which are present in multiple copies: S13, S27, L22, L31, L33, L34 and L39. The mass fractions of the ribosomal proteins which were found to be present on isolated ribosomes in non-unimolar amounts, were re-examined by using an isotope dilution technique. Applying this method to proteins extracted from mildely isolated 80-S ribosomes, we found that some protein species such as S32, S34 and L43 still are present in submolar amounts. On the other hand, however, we conclude that some other ribosomal proteins, in particular the strongly acidic proteins L44 and L45 get partially lost during ribosome dissociation. Proteins L44/L45 appears to be present on 80-S ribosomes in three copies.     

小黑麦抗真菌蛋白组分的分离纯化和性质研究

以木霉为指示菌,小黑麦中饲237种子中的蛋白提取物经过分离纯化后,得到了3种主要的抗真菌蛋白组分,经酶活检测鉴定,分别是分子量为30.5 kD的ClassⅡ型几丁质酶,两种分子量为51kD和23 kD的β-1,3-葡聚糖酶。其中几丁质酶的最适反应pH为6.0,最适反应温度为37℃,测定的N末端氨基酸序列与大麦几丁质酶的有很高的同源性。在一定条件下,这3种蛋白组分都有较强的抗木霉活性,并且有明显的协同作用,同时它们对离体易感小麦叶片上白粉菌有很好的生长抑制作用。     

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris of Plant Origin Produces Antifungal Cyclo-(Leu-Pro) and Tetradecanoic Acid

The antifungal cyclo-depeptide and the fatty acid were isolated and purified from an indigenous strain of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris. Maximal activity was observed at pH 5.5 and 6.5, and at 30 °C under stationary conditions, which was detected in the culture supernatant 8 h post-inoculation in MRS broth until 22 h. The activity of antifungal compounds in the culture supernatant was sensitive to pH and temperature; and was protease-resistant. The antifungal compounds were concentrated by freeze-drying and ultrafiltration with activity retained in 1 kDa filtrates indicating low molecular weight metabolites. The compounds were further extracted by using different solvents amongst which, ethyl acetate provided the highest recovery. Antifungal compounds were separated on a silica gel column into two active fractions that were revealed to be tetradecanoic acid and cyclo-(Leu-Pro), a cyclic dipeptide, by GC–MS. Herein, we describe and attribute the biocontrol potential of L. lactis subsp. cremoris to the low molecular weight antifungal compounds isolated, which is the first report of their isolation from this strain. The broad antifungal spectrum of this candidate advocates further exploration of its biocontrol potential in managing fungal infections in different food and feed systems.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-020-00917-z.     

Alkaline protease inhibitor: a novel class of antifungal proteins against phytopathogenic fungi.

A Streptomyces sp., which produces an alkaline protease inhibitor (API) exhibiting antifungal activity has been isolated from soil. The protein has been purified to homogeneity. The molecular characterization has revealed that it is a dimer (M(r) 28 kDa) with five disulphide linkages and has a pI of 3.8. API is a competitive type of inhibitor with a K(i) value of 2.5 x 10(-9) M. The inhibitor is stable over a pH range of 6 to 12 and a temperature range of 40 to 95 degrees C. API exhibits antifungal activity (in vitro) against phytopathogenic fungi such as Fusarium, Alternaria, and Rhizoctonia and also against Trichoderma, a saprophytic fungus. The antifungal activity of API appears to be associated with its ability to inhibit the fungal serine alkaline protease(s), which is indispensable for its growth. Retardation of the rate of fungal spore germination, as well as hyphal extention, was observed in the presence of API. Both the protease inhibitory and the antifungal activity were abolished on treatment of API with DTT (5 mM), suggestive of a common site for both the activities. This is the first report on API as a potential biocontrol agent against phytopathogenic fungi.     

Isolation and characterization of viridin, a new 65 kDa antifungal protein from the mould Trichoderma viride

A new extracellular antifungal protein with a yield of 10 mg per liter was isolated from the culture medium of the mould Trichoderma viride. The protein, which we named viridin, was purified by carboxymethyl-cellulose cation-exchange chromatography and Superose 12 HR 10/30 high-performance liquid chromatography. Viridin, a basic protein of approximately 65 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE, inhibits the growth of the cotton pathogen Verticillum dahliae, the IC50 being 6 microM.     

Four major basic proteins of barley grain. Purification and partial characterization

Four major basic proteins termed C, K, N and Q, which are synthesized very late in grain development, have been isolated from barley ( Hordum vulgare L.) mutant Bomi 1508. Immunoelectrophoretic monitoring assured a high degree of purity after a few ion exchange and gel filtration steps. Charge microheterogeneity of two of the four antigenically distinct proteins was observed. Some physico-chemical properties were determined, including molecular mass (C ∼ 28 000; K ∼ 30 000; N ∼ 11 000; Q ∼ 60000), isoelectric point(s) (C ∼ 9.7; K ∼ 10.1–10.3; N ∼ 9.3; Q ∼ 8.9–9.1 at 25°C), and amino acid composition. In total, the four proteins represent ∼ 5% of the salt-soluble protein in grains of some cultivated barleys. The most basic protein K is rich in lysine (∼ 7.9 mol %) and may account for ∼1% of the grain lysine content in these barleys.     

Characterization of two antifungal endochitinases from barley grain

A basic chitinase (chitinase T, EC 3.2.1.14, molecular mass 33 kDa, pI 9.8) was isolated and compared with a previously described chitinase (chitinase C, molecular mass 28 kDa, pI 9.7). The two chitinases were isolated in homogeneous form from barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) Bomi mutant 1508 grains either by two cation exchange steps or by one affinity step followed by cation exchange. Both chitinases are endochitinases with specific activities of 168 and 54 nkat (mg protein)⁻¹ for chitinase T and chitinase C, respectively. Both inhibit the growth of Trichoderma viride efficiently. The lysozyme activity of both chitinases is 10⁴ times lower than that of hen egg-white lysozyme as measured by lysis of cell walls of Micrococcus lysodeikticus . The amino acid composition and two partial amino acid sequences of chitinase T were determined. A 23 residue sequence of the N-terminal domain of chitinase T, which was not present in chitinase C, showed 73% identity with domain B of wheat germ lectin and 65% identity with the N-terminal domain of an endochitinase from bean leaves (deduced from cDNA). A 9 amino acid sequence of a cyanogen bromide fragment of chitinase T was identical with a cDNA deduced sequence of a barley aleurone endochitinase but differed in one residue from chitinase C. Generally, the two grain chitinases have physico-chemical and enzymatic properties similar to the plant leaf chitinases characterized. Both chitinases are localized in the aleurone layer and starchy endosperm of developing and germinating grain, but not in the embryo. The appearance of chitinases T and C at a late state of grain development suggests a role for these enzymes as a defense against fungi in the quiescent and germinating grain.     

Partial Purification and N-Terminal Amino Acid Sequencing of a β-1,3-Glucanase from Sorghum Leaves

A protein with an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa that cross-reacts with barley glucanase antiserum was detected in healthy leaves of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). When sorghum leaves were infected with Exserohilum turcicum, the causal agent of leaf blight, the 30-kDa glucanase was substantially induced. The 30-kDa glucanase was partially purified from sorghum leaves using ammonium sulfate fractionation and anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-sephacel. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 30-kDa glucanase shows homology to glucanases of maize, barley, bean, soybean, tobacco and pea. The purified 30-kDa glucanase showed antifungal activity against Trichoderma viride.     

Detection of a membrane-associated protein on detached membrane ribosomes in Staphylococcus aureus

Membrane ribosomes from Staphylococcus aureus which were detached from the membrane by extraction with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 retained a protein (MBRP) with a molecular weight of 60 000, which was absent from cytoplasmic ribosomes. MBRP was detected and quantified by immunological methods. When membrane ribosomes were dissociated into 50S and 30S subunits, MBRP remained associated with the 50S particle. MBRP was found both on membrane ribosomes and in the cytoplasm in roughly equal amounts. When added to Triton X-100-solubilized protoplasts, antibodies to MBRP produced immunoprecipitates which contained a complex of MBRP and three other proteins with molecular weights of 71 000, 46 000 and 41 000. Four proteins with the same molecular weights as those of the MBRP complex were found associated with membrane ribosomes. The proteins of molecular weight 71 000, 60 000, 46 000 and 41 000 seemed to be present in stoichiometrically equivalent amounts in the complex.     

A study of mitochondrial ribosomes from the higher plant Solanum tuberosum L.

Ribosomal subunits are isolated from potato tuber mitochondria devoid of contaminating organelles. The sedimentation constants of the two mitochondrial ribosomal subunits are 33S and 50S respectively. The apparent sizes of the high molecular weight RNAs are 19S and 25S.The proteins of these ribosomes have been analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis in SDS polyacrylamide gels to determine their number and molecular weights. The small subunit contains 35 protein species ranging from 8 to 60 kDa. The 50S large subunit contains 33 protein species ranging from 12 to 46 kDa. These preliminary results are the first analysis made on mitochondrial ribosomes from a higher plant.     

Cloning and overexpression of antifungal barley chitinase gene in Escherichia coli

Plant chitinases are pathogenesis-related proteins, which are believed to be involved in plant defense responses to pathogen infection. In this study, chitinase gene from barley was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Chitinase (35 kDa) was isolated and purified. Since the protein was produced as insoluble inclusion bodies, the protein was solubilized and refolded. Purified chitinase exerted broad-spectrum antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea (blight of tobacco), Pestalotia theae (leaf spot of tea), Bipolaris oryzae (brown spot of rice), Alternaria sp. (grain discoloration of rice), Curvularia lunata (leaf spot of clover) and Rhizoctonia solani (sheath blight of rice). Due to the potential of broad-spectrum antifungal activity barley chitinase gene can be used to enhance fungal-resistance in crop plants such as rice, tobacco, tea and clover.     

The barley scutellar peptide transporter: biochemical characterization and localization to the plasma membrane

Thiol-affinity labelling was used to identify and characterize components of the peptide transport system in the barley (Hordeum vulgare) scutellar epithelium. SDS-PAGE and 2D-PAGE in conjunction with fluorography were used to study derivatized proteins. Membrane proteins of 42 kDa and 66 kDa were identified using a strategy devised to label substrate protectable protein with the thiol specific reagent [14C] N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). The scutellar plasma membrane is the anticipated site of transporters involved in the mobilization of endosperm storage reserves in the germinating barley grain. The subcellular localization of these proteins to the plasma membrane was demonstrated by thiol-affinity labelling of high purity plasma membrane vesicles isolated from barley scutellar tissue. A peptide transporter, HvPTR1, specific to the barley scutellum has recently been cloned in this laboratory. A 66 kDa protein, comparable to the predicted molecular mass of HvPTR1, was identified by [14C]NEM labelling studies of Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing HvPTR1 cRNA, but not water injected controls. Peptide antiserum raised to HvPTR1 also cross-reacted with a 66 kDa membrane protein in barley scutellar tissue. This confirms that the 66 kDa protein identified here by thiol-affinity labelling studies is the barley scutellum peptide transporter HvPTR1, and demonstrates that this protein is localized to the plasma membrane of scutellar epithelial cells during germination.     

Apoplastic extracts from a transgenic wheat line exhibiting lesion-mimic phenotype have multiple pathogenesis-related proteins that are antifungal

A transgenic wheat line constitutively expressing genes encoding a class IV acidic chitinase and an acidic beta-1,3-glucanase, showed significant delay in spread of Fusarium head blight (scab) disease under greenhouse conditions. In an earlier work, we observed a lesion-mimic phenotype in this transgenic line when homozygous for transgene loci. Apoplastic fluid (AF) extracted from the lesion-mimic plants had pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins belonging to families of beta-1,3-glucanases, chitinases, and thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs). AF had growth inhibitory activity against certain fungal pathogens, including Fusarium graminearum and Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici. Through a two-step ion-exchange chromatography protocol, we recovered many PR proteins and a few uncharacterized proteins. Three individual protein bands corresponding to a TLP (molecular mass, 16 kDa) and two beta-1,3-glucanases (molecular mass, 32 kDa each) were purified and identified by tandem mass spectrometry. We measured the in vitro antifungal activity of the three purified enzymes and a barley class II chitinase (purified earlier in our laboratory) in microtiter plate assays with macroconidia or conidiophores of F. graminearum and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis. Mixtures of proteins revealed synergistic or additive inhibitory activity against F. graminearum and P. tritici-repentis hyphae. The concentrations of PR proteins at which these effects were observed are likely to be those reached in AF of cells exhibiting a hypersensitive response. Our results suggest that apoplastic PR proteins are antifungal and their antimicrobial potency is dependent on concentrations and combinations that are effectively reached in plants following microbial attack.     

Immunologically related multimeric forms of 30-40 kDa peptides associated with lung surfactant in various mammalian species

A comparative study of lung surfactant associated proteins was undertaken to determine which mammalian species would best serve as models for investigating alterations of the human lung surfactant system. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified surfactants in the presence of dithiothreitol revealed that surfactant invariably contains at least one peptide with molecular weight of 30 000-40 000. In the absence of disulfide reducing agents, the above peptides were in the form of high-molecular-weight proteins (greater than 400 kDa) in primates and cat, whereas in dog, rat and rabbit, the protein was a 72 kDa dimer. The 30-40 kDa peptide subunits were isolated from human, rat and dog surfactants and found to contain four or five residues of hydroxyproline. Antisera to either the human 34 kDa peptide or high-molecular-weight proteins reacted with the high-molecular-weight bands, the 34 kDa subunit and at least six intermediate disulfide-linked forms separated from purified human surfactant by electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions. Following electrophoresis in the presence of dithiothreitol, both antisera detected the 34 kDa peptide as well as other peptides ranging in molecular weight from 23 000 to 160 000. The isolated 34 kDa peptide readily reaggregated into disulfide-linked forms including 68 and 100 kDa complexes which were not reduced by 40 mM dithiothreitol. We conclude that the 34 kDa surfactant-associated peptide forms a complex system of monomeric and multimeric proteins, which varies among the species and could conceivably vary in distribution during lung development or disease.     

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of ribosomal proteins from streptomycin-sensitive and streptomycin-resistant mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardi.

Ribosomal proteins from three mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardi were analysed and compared by one-dimensional and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. One mutant was streptomycin-sensitive the other two were streptomycin-resistant, one with a Mendelian the other with a non-Mendelian pattern of inheritance. In the 30-S subunits of chloroplast ribosomes approximately 25 proteins are found and in the 50-S subunits 34 proteins. The 40-S subunits of cytoplasmic ribosomes contain about 31 proteins and the 60-S subunits 44 proteins. The molecular weights of most proteins in all subunits are in the range of 10 000 to 35 000. However, the 60-S subunits contain in addition a protein of molecular weight 50 000 and the 30-S subunits show 6-7 bands of molecular weights from 50 000 to 83 000. The proteins of the cytoplasmic 80-S ribosomes or of their subunits from all three mutants are electrophoretically identical. The proteins of the 70-S organellar ribosomes and both of their subunits show distinct differences between the three strains. Our results indicate that organellar ribosomal proteins are in part controlled by nuclear DNA and in part by organellar DNA.     

Description of Complex Forms of a Porin in Bacteroides fragilis and Possible Implication of this Protein in Antibiotic Resistance

Periodic surveys of antibiotic susceptibility patterns among anaerobes have emphasized that new mechanisms of resistance have emerged, especially in the Bacteroides fragilis group. Resistance to the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid among some imipenem-susceptible Bacteroides fragilis strains has been associated with modifications in outer membrane protein electrophoretic patterns with the loss of some porin-like proteins. Porins are outer membrane proteins that play a major part in membrane permeability; if they are under-expressed, they can be responsible for antibiotic resistance. In a previous work, we isolated one outer membrane protein of 45 kDa from Bacteroides fragilis and showed its porin activity. In the present study, we aim to isolate the different complex forms of this protein and to underline their possible role in antibiotic resistance. We therefore compared the electrophoretic patterns of the outer membrane proteins of several strains of Bacteroides fragilis. Although these patterns are similar to each other, some proteins, especially those of high molecular weight, are less visible in the samples heated before electrophoresis. We targeted these high molecular weight proteins (which appeared sensitive to heat) and isolated them by electro-elution. We thus identified two high molecular weight proteins (210 and 130/135 kDa) which seemed to be components of a complex including the 45 kDa outer membrane protein formerly identified by us as a porin protein. Their porin activities were tested by the swelling assay of proteoliposomes which showed that the 210 kDa protein behaved like the 45 kDa protein whereas the 130/135 kDa protein had less porin activity. Furthermore, swelling assays with antibiotic solutions made it possible to compute the role of this protein complex in antibiotic resistance.