Sesquin, a potent defensin-like antimicrobial peptide from ground beans with inhibitory activities toward tumor cells and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.
An antifungal peptide with a molecular mass around 7 kDa and an N-terminal sequence highly homologous to defensin was isolated from ground beans (Vigna sesquipedalis cv. 'Ground Bean'). The peptide was adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and on Mono S. It exerted an antifungal action on Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum and Mycosphaerella arachidicola; and an antibacterial action on Escherichia coli B, Proteus vulgaris, Mycobacterium phlei and Bacillus megaterium. The antimicrobial activity was inhibited in presence of the 5 mM CaCl2 and MgCl2, but no inhibition was observed in 5 mM NaCl. The peptide exerted antiproliferative activity toward breast cancer (MCF-7) cells and leukemia M1 cells, this activity could not be inhibited by the ions mentioned above. It also exhibited some inhibitory activity toward human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 reverse transcriptase.
Wong
Jack Ho
JH
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China.
Ng
Tzi Bun
TB
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023082:Defensins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D023082:Defensins; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase