Molecular and functional characterization of a cyclophilin with antifungal activity from Chinese cabbage

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Feb 16;353(3):672-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.12.102. Epub 2006 Dec 22.

Abstract

An antifungal protein that inhibits the growth of filamentous fungal pathogens was isolated from Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. pekinensis) by affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel and ion exchange chromatography on CM-Sepharose. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the protein was highly homologous to that of plant cyclophilins and consequently the protein was denoted as C-CyP. To understand the antifungal activity of C-CyP, we isolated a cDNA encoding its gene from a Chinese cabbage leaf cDNA library. The Chinese cabbage genome bears more than one C-CyP gene copy and C-CyP mRNA is highly expressed in all tissues except the seeds. Recombinant C-CyP catalyzed the cis-trans inter-conversion of the Ala-Pro bond of the substrate, which indicates this protein has peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity. It also inhibited the growth of several fungal pathogens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / isolation & purification
  • Base Sequence
  • Botrytis / drug effects
  • Brassica / chemistry*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Cyclophilins / chemistry*
  • Cyclophilins / isolation & purification
  • Cyclophilins / pharmacology*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / chemistry
  • Fusarium / drug effects
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Rhizoctonia / drug effects
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Cyclophilins
  • Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate