Complete amino acid sequences of two trypsin inhibitors from buckwheat seed

Identification and Characterization of a Trypsin Inhibitor from Fagopyrum tataricumSeeds

This study was aimed at investigating the purification and identification of serine protease inhibitors, F. tataricum trypsin inhibitor (FtTI) from tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) seeds. The FtTI was isolated by anion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, and centrifugal ultrafiltration. Under reducing and nonreducing conditions, an SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the isolated protein consists of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular mass of approximately 14 kDa. The two isoforms of FtTI were confirmed by the mass spectrometric profile where the two peaks corresponded to 11.487 and 13.838 kDa. The complete amino acid sequence of FtTI has been established by automatic Edman degradation and mass spectrometry. The molecule of FtTI consists of 86 amino acid residues containing two disulfide bonds which connect Cys8 to Cys65 and Cys49 to Cys58. The active site of FtTI contains an Asp66-Arg67 bond. The Ki value was calculated using the equation for slow tight binding inhibition which was 1.6 nM for trypsin. FtTI retained its inhibitory activity over a wide range of pH (3-10) and temperature (20-80 °C). FtTI can be rapidly inactivated by the combination of high temperature and high pressure. An analysis of the amino acid sequence suggests that FtTI is a member of the protease inhibitor Ι family. Furthermore, FtTI exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against phytopathogenic fungi.

Purification and characterization of a stable Kunitz trypsin inhibitor from Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seeds

Kunitz trypsin inhibitor was purified from the seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum (TfgKTI) belonging to fabaceae family by ammonium sulphate precipitation, cation exchange, gel filtration and hydrophobic chromatography. Purity of the protein was analyzed by RP-HPLC and native-PAGE. SDS-PAGE analysis under reducing and non-reducing conditions showed that protein consists of a single polypeptide chain with molecular mass of approximately 20 kDa. Mass spectroscopy analysis revealed that the intact mass of purified inhibitor is 19,842.154 Da. One dimensional SDS gel was tryptically digested, resulting peptides were subjected to MALDI-TOF-MS analysis, and peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) analysis of TfgKTI shows sequence similarity with Kunitz trypsin inhibitor in database search. Two dimensional electrophoresis identified presence of four isoinhibitors (pI values of 5.1, 5.4, 5.7 and 6.1). Kinetic studies showed that the protein is a competitive inhibitor and has high binding affinity with trypsin (Ki 3.01×10(-9)M) and chymotrypsin (Ki 0.52×10(-9)M). The TfgKTI retained the inhibitory activity over a broad range of pH (pH 3-10), temperature (37-100°C) and salt concentration (up to 3.5%). Far-UV circular dichroism measurements revealed that TfgKTI is predominantly composed of β-sheets (39%) and unordered structures (48%) with slight helical content (13%). TfgKTI retained over 90% trypsin inhibition upon storage at 4°C for over a period of six months.

An antifungal peptide from Fagopyrum tataricum seeds

A major trypsin inhibitor was isolated and characterized from the seeds of the tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) (FtTI) by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography and centrifugal ultrafiltration. SDS-PAGE analysis under reducing condition showed that FtTI is a single polypeptide chain with a molecular mass of approximately 14kDa. The complete amino acid sequence of FtTI was established by automatic Edman degradation and mass spectrometry. It was found that the trypsin inhibitor molecule consists of 86 amino acid residues containing two disulfide bonds which connect Cys(8) to Cys(65) and Cys(49) to Cys(58). The active site of the inhibitor was found to contain an Asp(66)-Arg(67) bond. MALDI-TOF analysis showed that FtTI has two isoforms (Mr: 11.487 and 13.838kDa). Dixon plots revealed a competitive inhibition of trypsin with inhibition constants (Ki) of 1.6nM. Analysis of the amino acid sequence suggests that FtTI is a member of the protease inhibitor I family. What is more, FtTI exhibited strong inhibitory activity against phytopathogenic fungi.

Thermostable Kunitz trypsin inhibitor with cytokine inducing, antitumor and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activities from Korean large black soybeans

A large number of trypsin inhibitors belonging to various types have been purified from different kinds of legumes. In this study, by using liquid chromatography, a Kunitz type trypsin inhibitor (KBTI) with a molecular weight of 20107.645 Da was purified from Korean large black soybeans. KBTI reduced the proteolytic activities of trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin with the activity of approximately 8520 BAEE units/mg and approximately 24 BTEE units/mg, respectively. It showed high thermal stability (0-100 degrees C) as well as stability over a large range of pH values (pH 3-11). Furthermore, KBTI inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity with an IC(50) value of 0.71 microM and induced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2 and interferon-gamma at the mRNA level. KBTI exerted weak antiproliferative activity toward CNE-2 and HNE-2 nasopharyngeal cancer cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and Hep G2 hepatoma cells. KBTI was destitute of mitogenic, ribonuclease and antifungal activities.

Cloning and characterization of a novel trypsin inhibitor (BTIw1) gene fromFagopyrum esculentum

Based on the amino acid information of trypsin inhibitor of buckwheat (Fagopyrum Esculentum Moench), degenerated primers were designed and a full-length cDNA sequence named BTIomega1 (Buckwheat Trypsin Inhibitor) was amplified from the leaves RNA by using RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) methods. Sequence analysis shows that the 392 bp cDNA contained an open reading frame (ORF) of 216 bp, encoding 72 amino acids residues. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibits 96 and 93% homology with BWI-1 and BTI-2, a natural trypsin inhibitor from buckwheat seeds. Southern blotting suggested that three copies of BTIomega1 gene existed in the buckwheat genome. Moreover, a predicted secondary structure and 3D-structural model was constructed by homology modeling. To our knowledge, this is the first all-round report of the gene BTIomega1. The novel BTIomega1 gene has been submitted to the GeneBank under Accession No. DQ289792.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor from tamarind (Tamarindus indica) seeds

A Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor has been purified from tamarind (Tamarindus indica) seeds. SDS-PAGE analysis of a purified sample showed a homogeneous band corresponding to a molecular weight of 21 kDa. The protein was identified as a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor based on N-terminal amino-acid sequence analysis. It was crystallized by the vapour-diffusion method using PEG 6000. The crystals belonged to the orthorhombic space group C222(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 37.2, b = 77.1, c = 129.1 A. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.7 A. Preliminary crystallographic analysis indicated the presence of one proteinase inhibitor molecule in the asymmetric unit, with a solvent content of 44%.

Characterization of a Kunitz trypsin inhibitor with a single disulfide bridge from seeds of Inga laurina (SW.) Willd

Inga laurina is a tree that belongs to the Mimosoideae sub-family of the Leguminosae. A protein inhibitor of trypsin (ILTI) was isolated from its seeds by ammonium sulphate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography and rechromatography on an HiTrap Q ion-exchange column. By SDS-PAGE, ILTI yielded a single band with a Mr of 20 kDa with or without reduction. ILTI was found to be a single polypeptide chain containing 180 amino acids, the sequence of which was clearly homologous to the Kunitz family of serine protease plant protein inhibitors, and it also showed significant similarity to the seed storage proteins, sporamin and miraculin. However, ILTI displayed major differences to most other Kunitz inhibitors in that it contained only one disulfide bridge, and did not have two polypeptide chains as for the majority of other Kunitz inhibitors purified from Mimosoideae species. ILTI inhibited bovine trypsin with an equilibrium dissociation constant (K(i)) of 6 x 10(-9)M, but did not inhibit chymotrypsin, papain and alpha-amylase. Its amino acid sequence contained a Lys residue at the putative reactive site (position 64). ILTI was stable over a wide range of temperature and pH and in the presence of DTT.

Primary structure and reactive site of a novel wheat proteinase inhibitor of subtilisin and chymotrypsin

The proteinase inhibitor WSCI, active in inhibiting bacterial subtilisin and a number of animal chymotrypsins, was purified from endosperm of exaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum, c.v. San Pastore) by ion exchange chromatography and its complete amino acid sequence was established by automated Edman degradation. WSCI consists of a single polypeptide chain of 72 amino acid residues, has a molecular mass of 8126.3 Da and a pl of 5.8. The inhibition constants (Ki) for Bacillus licheniformis subtilisin and bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin are 3.92 x 10(-9) M and 7.24 x 10(-9) M, respectively. The inhibitor contains one methionine and of tryptophan residue and has a high content of essential amino acids (41 over a total of 72 residues), but no cysteines. The primary structure of WSCI shows high similarity with barley subtilisin-chymotrypsin isoinhibitors of the Cl-2 type and with maize subtilisinchymotrypsin inhibitor MPI. Significant degrees of similarity were also found between sequences of WSCI and of other members of the potato inhibitor I family of the serine proteinase inhibitors. The wheat inhibitor WSCI has a single reactive site (the peptide bond between methionyl-48 and glutamyl-49 residues) as identified by affinity chromatography and sequence analysis.