Soybean toxin (SBTX), a protein from soybeans that inhibits the life cycle of plant and human pathogenic fungi

J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Oct 13;58(19):10356-63. doi: 10.1021/jf101688k.

Abstract

Soybean toxin (SBTX) is a 44 kDa glycoprotein that is lethal to mice (LD(50) = 5.6 mg/kg). This study reports the toxicity of SBTX on pathogenic fungi and yeasts and the mechanism of its action. SBTX inhibited spore germination of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium herguei and was toxic to Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Kluyveromyces marxiannus , Pichia membranifaciens, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, SBTX hampered the growth of C. albicans and K. marxiannus and inhibited the glucose-stimulated acidification of the incubation medium by S. cerevisiae, suggesting that SBTX interferes with intracellular proton transport to the external medium. Moreover, SBTX caused cell-wall disruption, condensation/shrinkage of cytosol, pseudohyphae formation, and P. membranifaciens and C. parapsilosis cell death. SBTX is toxic to fungi at concentrations far below the dose lethal to mice and has potential in the design of new antifungal drugs or in the development of transgenic crops resistant to pathogens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antifungal Agents / toxicity
  • Aspergillus niger / drug effects
  • Aspergillus niger / growth & development
  • Candida / drug effects
  • Candida / growth & development
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Candida albicans / growth & development
  • Fungicides, Industrial / pharmacology*
  • Fungicides, Industrial / toxicity
  • Glycoproteins / pharmacology*
  • Glycoproteins / toxicity
  • Humans
  • Kluyveromyces / drug effects
  • Kluyveromyces / growth & development
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Mice
  • Penicillium / drug effects
  • Pichia / drug effects
  • Pichia / growth & development
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / drug effects
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Soybean Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Soybean Proteins / toxicity
  • Spores, Fungal / drug effects

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Fungicides, Industrial
  • Glycoproteins
  • SBTX protein, soybean
  • Soybean Proteins