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do Amaral M, Freitas ACO, Santos AS, Dos Santos EC, Ferreira MM, da Silva Gesteira A, Gramacho KP, Marinho-Prado JS, Pirovani CP. TcTI, a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor from cocoa associated with defense against pathogens. Sci Rep 2022; 12:698. [PMID: 35027639 PMCID: PMC8758671 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04700-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Protease inhibitors (PIs) are important biotechnological tools of interest in agriculture. Usually they are the first proteins to be activated in plant-induced resistance against pathogens. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize a Theobroma cacao trypsin inhibitor called TcTI. The ORF has 740 bp encoding a protein with 219 amino acids, molecular weight of approximately 23 kDa. rTcTI was expressed in the soluble fraction of Escherichia coli strain Rosetta [DE3]. The purified His-Tag rTcTI showed inhibitory activity against commercial porcine trypsin. The kinetic model demonstrated that rTcTI is a competitive inhibitor, with a Ki value of 4.08 × 10-7 mol L-1. The thermostability analysis of rTcTI showed that 100% inhibitory activity was retained up to 60 °C and that at 70-80 °C, inhibitory activity remained above 50%. Circular dichroism analysis indicated that the protein is rich in loop structures and β-conformations. Furthermore, in vivo assays against Helicoverpa armigera larvae were also performed with rTcTI in 0.1 mg mL-1 spray solutions on leaf surfaces, which reduced larval growth by 70% compared to the control treatment. Trials with cocoa plants infected with Mp showed a greater accumulation of TcTI in resistant varieties of T. cacao, so this regulation may be associated with different isoforms of TcTI. This inhibitor has biochemical characteristics suitable for biotechnological applications as well as in resistance studies of T. cacao and other crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena do Amaral
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, UESC, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, Km - 16, Ilhéus, BA, CEP 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Camila Oliveira Freitas
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, UESC, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, Km - 16, Ilhéus, BA, CEP 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Ariana Silva Santos
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, UESC, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, Km - 16, Ilhéus, BA, CEP 45662-900, Brazil.
| | - Everton Cruz Dos Santos
- Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20230-130, Brazil
| | - Monaliza Macêdo Ferreira
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, UESC, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, Km - 16, Ilhéus, BA, CEP 45662-900, Brazil
| | | | - Karina Peres Gramacho
- Centro de Pesquisa do Cacau [CEPEC/CEPLAC] Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, Km 22 Rod. Ilhéus-Itabuna, Ilhéus, Bahia, 45600-970, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Priminho Pirovani
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, UESC, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, Km - 16, Ilhéus, BA, CEP 45662-900, Brazil
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