title: Isolation of alliumin, a novel protein with antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities from multiple-cloved garlic bulbs.
abstract: A protein designated alliumin, with a molecular mass of 13 kDa and an N-terminal sequence similar to a partial sequence of glucanase, and demonstrating antifungal activity against Mycosphaerella arachidicola, but not against Fusarium oxysporum, was isolated from multiple-cloved garlic (Allium sativum) bulbs. The protein, designated as alliumin, was purified using ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose and Mono S, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, and gel filtration on Superdex 75. Alliumin was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose, but was adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel, CM-cellulose and Mono S. Its antifungal activity was retained after boiling for 1 h and also after treatment with trypsin or chymotrypsin (1:1, w/w) for 30 min at room temperature. Alliumin was inhibitory to the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens and exerted antiproliferative activity toward leukemia L1210 cells. However, it was devoid of ribonuclease activity, protease activity, mitogenic activity toward mouse splenocytes, and antiproliferative activity toward hepatoma Hep G2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; C501515:alliumin protein, Allium sativum