A mitogenic defensin from white cloud beans (Phaseolus vulgaris).
A peptide, with a molecular mass of 7458 Da, was purified from the seeds of white cloud beans (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. 'white cloud bean'). This peptide was isolated using a simple protocol consisting of affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel and gel filtration on Superdex 75. The peptide had both antifungal and antibacterial activities. It reduced the activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and it also inhibited translation in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. Its antifungal activity was retained after incubation with trypsin but was reduced when the ambient ionic strength was raised. The peptide elicited a mitogenic response from mouse splenocytes but did not stimulate nitric oxide production in mouse macrophages.
Wong
Jack Ho
JH
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China.
Zhang
Xiao Qing
XQ
Wang
He Xiang
HX
Ng
Tzi Bun
TB