title: Proteolytic activity of the nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys sinensis on Angiostrongylus vasorum larvae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The predatory nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys sinensis (SF53) produces three proteases with nematicidal activity when grown on solid media culture. However, the proteolytic profile produced by this fungus, when grown in liquid culture medium remains unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the production of proteases from nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys sinensis in liquid medium and its nematicidal activity on first stage larvae of A. vasorum. Proteases were obtained in its crude form, using Whatman no.1 filter paper, followed by centrifugation for 5 min at 10 × g and 4°C. A zymogram was performed with co-polymerized casein in an acrylamide gel as substrate. An in vitro assay to evaluate the nematicidal action of the proteases of A. sinensis (SF53) produced in liquid medium on A. vasorum L1 was conducted. By the analysis of the zymogram, it was observed a single halo at the beginning of digestion of the gel, suggesting that the three proteases of SF53 are produced in an enzymatic complex of large molecular weight. Regarding nematicidal activity, within 24 hours, the proteases produced in liquid medium of A. sinensis (SF53) showed a percentage reduction of 64% on the number of L1 of A. vasorum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present work, it is suggested that the three proteases of SF53 are produced in an enzymatic complex and was also demonstrated that these enzymes were effective in destroying A. vasorum L1.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brasil. filippeufv@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Filippe Elias
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: de Freitas Soares
authors.forename: José Humberto
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: de Queiroz
authors.forename: Fabio Ribeiro
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Lima
authors.forename: Tatiana Tonini
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Zamprogno
authors.forename: Jackson Victor
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: de Araújo
mesh_terms: D000801:Angiostrongylus / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000494:pharmacology; D059748:Proteolysis
chemical_list: D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases