title: Structural characterization and anti-HIV-1 activities of arginine/glutamate-rich polypeptide Luffin P1 from the seeds of sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica).
abstract: Luffin P1, the smallest ribosome-inactivating peptide from the seeds of Luffa cylindrica was found to have anti-HIV-1 activity in HIV-1 infected C8166 T-cell lines and be able to bind with HIV Rev Response Element. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that the Luffin P1 comprises a helix-loop-helix motif, with the two alpha helices tightly associated by two disulfide bonds. Based on our findings, we conclude that unlike the well-studied ribosome-inactivating proteins, which exert their action through N-glycosidase activities, Luffin P1 demonstrates a novel inactivation mechanism probably through the charge complementation with viral or cellular proteins. Our work also provides a new scaffold for the design of novel inhibitors from a simple helical motif.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Centre for Protein Science and Crystallography, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, PR China.
authors.forename: Yiu-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Yinhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kong-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Sze
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong-Tang
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Pang-Chui
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects; D029776:Luffa / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D010455:Peptides