title: The secrets of Oriental panacea: Panax ginseng.
abstract: The Panax ginseng root proteome has been investigated via capture with combinatorial peptide ligand libraries (CPLL) at three different pH values. Proteomic characterization by SDS-PAGE and nLC–MS/MS analysis, via LTQ-Orbitrap XL, led to the identification of a total of 207 expressed proteins. This quite large number of identifications was achieved by consulting two different plant databases: P. ginseng and Arabidopsis thaliana. The major groups of identified proteins were associated to structural species (19.2%), oxidoreductase (19.5%), dehydrogenases (7.6%) and synthases (9.0%). For the first time, an exploration of protein–protein interactions was performed by merging all recognized proteins and building an interactomic map, characterized by 196 nodes and 1554 interactions. Finally a peptidomic analysis was developed combining different in-silico enzymatic digestions to simulate the human gastrointestinal process: from 661 generated peptides, 95 were identified as possible bioactives and in particular 6 of them were characterized by antimicrobial activity. The present report offers new insight for future investigations focused on elucidation of biological properties of P. ginseng proteome and peptidome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ginseng is a traditional oriental herbal remedy whose use is very diffused in all the world for its numerous pharmacological effects. However, the exact mechanism of action of ginseng components, both ginsenosides and proteins, is still unidentified. So the common use of ginseng requires strict investigations to assess both its efficiency and its safety. Although many reports have been published regarding the pharmacological effects of ginseng, little is known about the biochemical pathways of root. Proteomics analysis could be useful to elucidate the physiological pathways. In this manuscript, an integrated approach to proteomics and peptidomics will usher in exploration of Panax ginseng proteins and proteolytic peptides, obtained by in-silico gastrointestinal digestion, characterized by antimicrobial action. The present research would pave the way for better knowledge of metabolic functions connected with ginseng proteome and provide with new information necessary to understand better antimicrobial activity of P. ginseng.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colzani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altomare
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caliendo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aldini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Polytechnic of Milan, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Pier Giorgio
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Righetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Polytechnic of Milan, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: elisa.fasoli@polimi.it.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fasoli
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000378:metabolism; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D005894:Panax / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism*; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014357:Trypsin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D014357:Trypsin
keywords: Combinatorial peptide ligand libraries; Orbitrap mass spectrometer; Panax ginseng proteolytic peptides; Panax ginseng proteome; Protein–protein interaction network