Isolation and characterization of a novel thermostable non-specific lipid transfer protein-like antimicrobial protein from motherwort (Leonurus japonicus Houtt) seeds

In screening for potent antimicrobial proteins from plant seeds, a novel heat-stable antimicrobial protein, designated LJAMP2, was purified from seeds of the motherwort (Leonurus japonicus Houtt), a medicine herb, with a procedure involving cation exchange chromatography on a CM FF column, and reverse phase HPLCs on C8 column and C18 column. LJAMP2 exhibited a molecular mass of 6.2 kDa determined. Automated Edman degradation determined the partial N-terminal sequence of LJAMP2 to be NH2-AIGCNTVASKMAPCLPYVTGKGPLGGCCGGVKGLIDAARTTPDRQAVCNCLKTLAKSYSG, which displays homology with plant non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs). In vitro bioassays showed that LJAMP2 inhibits the growth of a variety of microbes, including filamentous fungi, bacteria and yeast. The growth of three phytopathogenic fungi, Alternaria brassicae, Botrytis maydis, and Rhizoctonia cerealis, are inhibited at 7.5 μM of LJAMP2, whereas Bacillus subtilis is about 15 μM. The IC₅₀ of LJAMP2 for Aspergillus niger, B. maydis, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium digitatum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are 5.5, 6.1, 9.3, 40.0, and 76.0 μM, respectively.     

LTP在植物抗环境胁迫中的作用

脂质转移蛋(白Lipid transfer protein,LTP)是一类分泌蛋白,曾被认为是一种在体外膜间进行脂质转移的蛋白,因其作用对象很广泛,所以目前又称其为非特异性LTP(non-specific lipid transfer proteins,nsLTPs)。有很多证据表明nsLTPs可能参与多方面的植物细胞与生理生化反应,这些生物学功能包括:参与角质层的合成和胚胎的发育;适应各种胁迫环境;抗病原微生物等作用,尤其是在适应胁迫环境中,起到很大作用。介绍了nsLTPs在植物抗环境胁迫中所发挥的作用,同时对应用研究作了简单展望。     

植物抗菌蛋白nsLTPs

植物抗菌蛋白——非特异性脂质转运蛋白（non-specific lipidtransfer proteins,nsLTPs）是一类对细菌和真菌等有抑制或杀灭作用的蛋白质。它们的抗菌能力强,有较好的耐热性,稳定性高,抗菌机制独特,有证据证明nsLTPs参与植物的抗病反应。文章就此问题的研究进展作介绍。