title: A novel anti-plant viral protein from coelomic fluid of the earthworm Eisenia foetida: purification, characterization and its identification as a serine protease.
abstract: A novel protein showing strong antiviral activities against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and tomato mosaic virus (TMV) was purified from the coelomic fluid of the earthworm Eisenia foetida. The protein was characterized as a cold-adapted serine protease. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 27,000 by SDS-PAGE. The enzyme was most active at pH 9.5 and 40-50 degrees C. The protease activity at 4 degrees C was 60% of that obtained at the optimal temperature. The activity was suppressed by various serine protease inhibitors. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme showed homology with serine proteases of earthworms, E. foetida and Lumbricus rubellus previously studied. Our results suggest that the enzyme can be applicable as a potential antiviral factor against CMV, TMV, and other plant viruses.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan. mueda@biochem.osakafu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyatake
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohki
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Kuniyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inouye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000201:enzymology; D017799:Cucumovirus; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases