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Zhang X, Chen R, Shu H, Liang P, Qin T, Wang K, Guo A, Craik DJ, Liao B, Zhang J. Gene-guided identifications of a structure-chimeric cyclotide viphi I from Viola philippica: Potential functions against cadmium and nematodes. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 347:112185. [PMID: 38986912 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The cyclic peptides, cyclotides, are identified mostly with 29-31-aa (amino acid residues) but rarely with ≥ 34-aa in plants. Viola philippica is a well-known medicinal plant but a rare metallophyte with cyclotides. A hypothesis was hence raised that the potential novel 34-aa cyclotide of Viola philippica would clearly broaden the structural and functional diversities of plant cyclotides. After homology-cloning the cyclotide precursor gene of VpCP5, a 34-aa cyclotide (viphi I) was identified to be larger than 22 other known cyclotides in V. philippica. It had a chimeric primary structure, due to its unusual loop structures (8 residues in loop 2 and 6 residues in loop 5) and aa composition (3 E and 5 R), by using phylogenetic analyses and an in-house cyclotide analysis tool, CyExcel_V1. A plasmid pCYC-viphi_I and a lab-used recombinant process were specially constructed for preparing viphi I. Typically, 0.12 or 0.25 mg ml-1 co-exposed viphi I could significantly remain cell activities with elevating Cd2+-exposed doses from 10-8 to 10-6 mol l-1 in MCF7 cells. In the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, IC50 values of viphi I to inhibit adult ratios and to induce death ratios, were 184.7 and 585.9 µg ml-1, respectively; the median lifespan of adult worms decreased from 14 to 2 d at viphi I doses ranging from 0.05 to 2 mg ml-1. Taken together, the newly identified viphi I exhibits functional potentials against cadmium and nematodes, providing new insights into structural and functional diversity of chimeric cyclotides in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Zhang
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Ruohong Chen
- Sun Yat-sen University, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Haoyue Shu
- Sun Yat-sen University, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Peihui Liang
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Ting Qin
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Kemei Wang
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Aimin Guo
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - David J Craik
- The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Bin Liao
- Sun Yat-sen University, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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2
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Teixeira ID, Carvalho E, Leal EC. Green Antimicrobials as Therapeutic Agents for Diabetic Foot Ulcers. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:467. [PMID: 36978333 PMCID: PMC10044531 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are one of the most serious and devastating complications of diabetes and account for a significant decrease in quality of life and costly healthcare expenses worldwide. This condition affects around 15% of diabetic patients and is one of the leading causes of lower limb amputations. DFUs generally present poor clinical outcomes, mainly due to the impaired healing process and the elevated risk of microbial infections which leads to tissue damage. Nowadays, antimicrobial resistance poses a rising threat to global health, thus hampering DFU treatment and care. Faced with this reality, it is pivotal to find greener and less environmentally impactful alternatives for fighting these resistant microbes. Antimicrobial peptides are small molecules that play a crucial role in the innate immune system of the host and can be found in nature. Some of these molecules have shown broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and wound-healing activity, making them good potential therapeutic compounds to treat DFUs. This review aims to describe antimicrobial peptides derived from green, eco-friendly processes that can be used as potential therapeutic compounds to treat DFUs, thereby granting a better quality of life to patients and their families while protecting our fundamental bio-resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines D. Teixeira
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Eugenia Carvalho
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ermelindo C. Leal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
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3
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Zhang Q, Wang Q, Chen S. A comprehensive review of phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control of plants from the genus Viola. J Pharm Pharmacol 2023; 75:1-32. [PMID: 35866842 DOI: 10.1093/jpp/rgac041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The genus Viola belongs to the family Violaceae, and the plants from this genus are essential folk herb medicine extensively used in many areas. The plants from the genus Viola are used to treat various diseases and exert a significant role in protecting people's health. This review summarized the genus Viola plants' phytochemistry, pharmacology, and quality control methods. KEY FINDINGS The information on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of the genus Viola was obtained by searching the Web of Science, Pubmed, CNKI, and other databases. A total of 208 valuable articles were selected and analyzed in this review. The main chemical components of plants from the genus Viola consist of flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, lignans, sesquiterpenes, cyclotides, etc. The active chemical components of medicinal plants from this genus exert antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective activities, and so on. The quality control of these plants is not sufficient and needs further research. SUMMARY The chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, and quality control of plants from the genus Viola were systematically summarized in this paper, and this review provides a literature basis for the further research of plants from this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Qing Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Suiqing Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
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Aslam L, Kaur R, Hussain S, Kapoor N, Mahajan R. LC-MS/MS identification and structural characterization of isolated cyclotides from precursor sequences of Viola odorata L. petiole tissue using computational approach. J Biosci 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-022-00283-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Yuan H, Luo Z, Ban Z, Reiter RJ, Ma Q, Liang Z, Yang M, Li X, Li L. Bioactive peptides of plant origin: distribution, functionality, and evidence of benefits in food and health. Food Funct 2022; 13:3133-3158. [PMID: 35244644 DOI: 10.1039/d1fo04077d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The multiple functions of peptides released from proteins have immense potential in food and health. In the past few decades, research interest in bioactive peptides of plant origin has surged tremendously, and new plant-derived peptides are continually discovered with advances in extraction, purification, and characterization technology. Plant-derived peptides are mainly extracted from dicot plants possessing bioactive functions, including antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, and antihypertensive activities. Although the distinct functions are said to depend on the composition and structure of amino acids, the practical or industrial application of plant-derived peptides with bioactive features is still a long way off. In summary, the present review mainly focuses on the state-of-the-art extraction, separation, and analytical techniques, functional properties, mechanism of action, and clinical study of plant-derived peptides. Special emphasis has been placed on the necessity of more pre-clinical and clinical trials to authenticate the health claims of plant-derived peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemao Yuan
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Zisheng Luo
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. .,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhaojun Ban
- School of Biological and chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
| | - Quan Ma
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Ze Liang
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Mingyi Yang
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Xihong Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Li
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. .,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Aslam L, Kaur R, Sharma V, Kapoor N, Mahajan R. Isolation and characterization of cyclotides from the leaves of Viola odorata L. using peptidomic and bioinformatic approach. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:211. [PMID: 33927999 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02763-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are true gene products characterized by the presence of six conserved cysteine residues and knotted arrangement of three disulfide bonds. These macrocyclic peptides show exceptional resistance to thermal, chemical and enzymatic degradation which is defined due to their three-dimensional folding. The current study describes an efficient strategy involving reduction, enzymatic digestion and mass spectroscopy sequencing for the identification of the precursor sequences and the cyclotide domains present in the leaf tissue of Viola odorata. We observed 122 partial peptide sequences containing 31 cyclotide domains along with 19 unique sequences consisting of putative novel cyclotides and acyclotides. Four precursor sequences consisting of putative new and already reported domains were further characterized for cyclotide domains, their structure and subfamilies. The sequences revealed the presence of classic knotted cyclotide folds with similar six characteristic loops but different amino acid residues. Molecular modeling indicated that the secondary structures present in the cyclotides are mainly α-helix and random coils. Variation in the sequences and conservation in cysteine residues in the cyclotides was revealed by protein diversity wheel. The significant information observed in the current study expands our knowledge about the structure and type of cyclic peptides in V. odorata leaves. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02763-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubna Aslam
- School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Ramanjeet Kaur
- School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Venu Sharma
- School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Nisha Kapoor
- School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Ritu Mahajan
- School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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Abstract
This Review explores the class of plant-derived macrocyclic peptides called cyclotides. We include an account of their discovery, characterization, and distribution in the plant kingdom as well as a detailed analysis of their sequences and structures, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis, biological functions, and applications. These macrocyclic peptides are around 30 amino acids in size and are characterized by their head-to-tail cyclic backbone and cystine knot motif, which render them to be exceptionally stable, with resistance to thermal or enzymatic degradation. Routes to their chemical synthesis have been developed over the past two decades, and this capability has facilitated a wide range of mutagenesis and structure-activity relationship studies. In turn, these studies have both led to an increased understanding of their mechanisms of action as well as facilitated a range of applications in agriculture and medicine, as ecofriendly crop protection agents, and as drug leads or scaffolds for pharmaceutical design. Our overall objective in this Review is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of cyclotides that we hope will stimulate further work on this fascinating family of peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Meng-Wei Kan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
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Camarero JA. Cyclotides, a versatile ultrastable micro-protein scaffold for biotechnological applications. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2017; 27:5089-5099. [PMID: 29110985 PMCID: PMC5812341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.10.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cyclotides are fascinating microproteins (≈30-40 residues long) with a unique head-to-tail cyclized backbone, stabilized by three disulfide bonds forming a cystine knot. This unique topology makes them exceptionally stable to chemical, thermal and biological degradation compared to other peptides of similar size. Cyclotides have been also found to be highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the cystine knot, able to cross cellular membranes and modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions both in vitro and in vivo. These properties make them ideal scaffolds for many biotechnological applications. This article provides and overview of the properties of cyclotides and their applications as molecular imaging agents and peptide-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9121, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9121, USA.
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Fahradpour M, Keov P, Tognola C, Perez-Santamarina E, McCormick PJ, Ghassempour A, Gruber CW. Cyclotides Isolated from an Ipecac Root Extract Antagonize the Corticotropin Releasing Factor Type 1 Receptor. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:616. [PMID: 29033832 PMCID: PMC5627009 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are plant derived, cystine-knot stabilized peptides characterized by their natural abundance, sequence variability and structural plasticity. They are abundantly expressed in Rubiaceae, Psychotrieae in particular. Previously the cyclotide kalata B7 was identified to modulate the human oxytocin and vasopressin G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), providing molecular validation of the plants' uterotonic properties and further establishing cyclotides as valuable source for GPCR ligand design. In this study we screened a cyclotide extract derived from the root powder of the South American medicinal plant ipecac (Carapichea ipecacuanha) for its GPCR modulating activity of the corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 receptor (CRF1R). We identified and characterized seven novel cyclotides. One cyclotide, caripe 8, isolated from the most active fraction, was further analyzed and found to antagonize the CRF1R. A nanomolar concentration of this cyclotide (260 nM) reduced CRF potency by ∼4.5-fold. In contrast, caripe 8 did not inhibit forskolin-, or vasopressin-stimulated cAMP responses at the vasopressin V2 receptor, suggesting a CRF1R-specific mode-of-action. These results in conjunction with our previous findings establish cyclotides as modulators of both classes A and B GPCRs. Given the diversity of cyclotides, our data point to other cyclotide-GPCR interactions as potentially important sources of drug-like molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Fahradpour
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria.,Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti UniversityTehran, Iran
| | - Peter Keov
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, BrisbaneQLD, Australia
| | - Carlotta Tognola
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Peter J McCormick
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of SurreyGuildford, United Kingdom
| | - Alireza Ghassempour
- Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti UniversityTehran, Iran
| | - Christian W Gruber
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of ViennaVienna, Austria.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, BrisbaneQLD, Australia
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Investigation of Antimicrobial Peptide Genes Associated with Fungus and Insect Resistance in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18091938. [PMID: 28914754 PMCID: PMC5618587 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18091938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small defense proteins present in various organisms. Major groups of AMPs include beta-barrelin, hevein, knottin, lipid transfer protein (LTP), thionin, defensin, snakin, and cyclotide. Most plant AMPs involve host plant resistance to pathogens such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria, whereas a few plant AMPs from the cyclotide family carry insecticidal functions. In this research, a genome-wide investigation on antimicrobial peptide genes in maize genome was conducted. AMPs previously identified from various plant species were used as query sequences for maize genome data mining. Thirty-nine new maize AMPs were identified in addition to seven known maize AMPs. Protein sequence analysis revealed 10 distinguishable maize AMP groups. Analysis of mRNA expression of maize AMP genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed different expression patterns in a panel of 10 maize inbred lines. Five maize AMP genes were found significantly associated with insect or fungus resistance. Identification of maize antimicrobial peptide genes will facilitate the breeding of host plant resistance and improve maize production.
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Abstract
Cyclotides are globular microproteins with a unique head-to-tail cyclized backbone, stabilized by three disulfide bonds forming a cystine knot. This unique circular backbone topology and knotted arrangement of three disulfide bonds makes them exceptionally stable to chemical, thermal, and biological degradation compared to other peptides of similar size. In addition, cyclotides have been shown to be highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the cystine knot. Cyclotides can also cross cellular membranes and are able to modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions, both in vitro and in vivo. All of these features make cyclotides highly promising as leads or frameworks for the design of peptide-based diagnostic and therapeutic tools. This article provides an overview on cyclotides and their applications as molecular imaging agents and peptide-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gould
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9121, USA
| | - Julio A. Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9121, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9121, USA
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Weidmann J, Craik DJ. Discovery, structure, function, and applications of cyclotides: circular proteins from plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2016; 67:4801-12. [PMID: 27222514 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Cyclotides are plant-derived cyclic peptides that have a head-to-tail cyclic backbone and three conserved disulphide bonds that form a cyclic cystine knot motif. They occur in plants from the Violaceae, Rubiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae families, typically with 10-100 cyclotides in a given plant species, in a wide range of tissues, including flowers, leaves, stems, and roots. Some cyclotides are expressed in large amounts (up to 1g kg(-1) wet plant weight) and their natural function appears to be to protect plants from pests or pathogens. This article provides a brief overview of their discovery, distribution in plants, and applications. In particular, their exceptional stability has led to their use as peptide-based scaffolds in drug design applications. They also have potential as natural 'ecofriendly' insecticides, and as protein engineering frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Weidmann
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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