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Moro CF, Nogueira FCS, Almeida CGM, Real-Guerra R, Dalberto PF, Bizarro CV, Ligabue-Braun R, Carlini CR. One enzyme, many faces: urease is also canatoxin. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10750-10761. [PMID: 36546698 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2158938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ureases catalyze the hydrolysis of urea into carbamate and ammonia. Well-conserved proteins, most plant ureases are hexamers of a single chain subunit, like the most abundant isoform of the jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease (JBU). Canatoxin (CNTX) was originally isolated from these seeds as a neurotoxic protein, and later characterized as an isoform of JBU with lower molecular mass and enzyme activity. Inactive CNTX oligomers form upon storage and stabilization of CNTX was achieved by treatment with low concentration of formaldehyde, avoiding its oligomerization. Here, nano-LC-MS/MS-based peptide analysis of CNTX revealed 804 amino acids identical to those of JBU's sequence (840 amino acids). De novo sequencing of CNTX revealed 15 different peptides containing substitution of amino acid residues, denoting CNTX as a product of a paralog gene of JBU. The MS/MS analysis of formaldehyde-treated CNTX showed that amino acid residues located at the trimer-trimer interface of JBU's hexamer were modified. The data confirmed that CNTX is an isoform of JBU and elucidated that stabilization by formaldehyde treatment occurs by modification of amino acids at the protein's surface that prevents the formation of the hexamer and of higher molecular mass inactive aggregates. HIGHLIGHTSCanatoxin (CNTX) is an isoform of jack bean urease (JBU, hexamer of 90 kDa chains)MS/MS sequencing of CNTX showed 804 amino acids identical in JBU (840 residues)Formaldehyde treatment of CNTX stabilizes its toxicity and avoids oligomerizationModified amino acid residues in CNTX are at the trimer-trimer interface of JBUCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Frederico Moro
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fábio C S Nogueira
- Proteomics Unit, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Gabriel Moreira Almeida
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rafael Real-Guerra
- Interdisciplinary Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Tramandaí, RS, Brazil
| | - Pedro Ferrari Dalberto
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiano V Bizarro
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Tuberculosis (INCT-TB), Centro de Pesquisas em Biologia Molecular e Funcional (CPBMF), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Department of Pharmacosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Celia R Carlini
- Brain Institute-Instituto do Cérebro do Rio Grande do Sul (INSCER), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Brain Diseases, Excitotoxity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Grahl MVC, Andrade BDS, Perin APA, Neves GA, Duarte LDS, Uberti AF, Hohl KS, Follmer C, Carlini CR. Could the Urease of the Gut Bacterium Proteus mirabilis Play a Role in the Altered Gut-Brain Talk Associated with Parkinson's Disease? Microorganisms 2023; 11:2042. [PMID: 37630602 PMCID: PMC10459573 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal dysbiosis seems to play a role in neurodegenerative pathologies. Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have an altered gut microbiota. Moreover, mice treated orally with the gut microbe Proteus mirabilis developed Parkinson's-like symptoms. Here, the possible involvement of P. mirabilis urease (PMU) and its B subunit (PmUreβ) in the pathogenesis of PD was assessed. Purified proteins were given to mice intraperitoneally (20 μg/animal/day) for one week. Behavioral tests were conducted, and brain homogenates of the treated animals were subjected to immunoassays. After treatment with PMU, the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were measured in Caco2 cells and cellular permeability was assayed in Hek 293. The proteins were incubated in vitro with α-synuclein and examined via transmission electron microscopy. Our results showed that PMU treatment induced depressive-like behavior in mice. No motor deficits were observed. The brain homogenates had an increased content of caspase-9, while the levels of α-synuclein and tyrosine hydroxylase decreased. PMU increased the pro-inflammatory cytokines and altered the cellular permeability in cultured cells. The urease, but not the PmUreβ, altered the morphology of α-synuclein aggregates in vitro, forming fragmented aggregates. We concluded that PMU promotes pro-inflammatory effects in cultured cells. In vivo, PMU induces neuroinflammation and a depressive-like phenotype compatible with the first stages of PD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus V. C. Grahl
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences and Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, RS, Brazil; (M.V.C.G.); (A.F.U.)
- School of Health Sciences, University Center Ritter dos Reis, Porto Alegre 90840-440, RS, Brazil
| | - Brenda da Silva Andrade
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21944-590, RJ, Brazil; (B.d.S.A.); (G.A.N.); (L.d.S.D.)
| | - Ana Paula A. Perin
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil;
| | - Gilda A. Neves
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21944-590, RJ, Brazil; (B.d.S.A.); (G.A.N.); (L.d.S.D.)
| | - Laura de Souza Duarte
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21944-590, RJ, Brazil; (B.d.S.A.); (G.A.N.); (L.d.S.D.)
| | - Augusto Frantz Uberti
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences and Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, RS, Brazil; (M.V.C.G.); (A.F.U.)
| | - Kelvin Siqueira Hohl
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences—Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil;
| | - Cristian Follmer
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Institute of Chemistry, Department of Physical-Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Celia Regina Carlini
- Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Brain Diseases, Excitotoxity and Neuroprotection (INCT-EN), Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil
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Barreto YC, Oliveira RS, Borges BT, Rosa ME, Zanatta AP, de Almeida CGM, Vinadé L, Carlini CR, Belo CAD. The neurotoxic mechanism of Jack Bean Urease in insects involves the interplay between octopaminergic and dopaminergic pathways. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 189:105290. [PMID: 36549826 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2022.105290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the last decades, the entomotoxicity of JBU and its derived peptides became an object of study, due mainly to the ubiquitous interaction of these compounds with different species of insects and their potential as natural insecticides. In this work, we investigated the neurotoxic effects of JBU in Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches by dissecting pharmacologically the monoaminergic pathways involved. Selective pharmacological modulators for monoaminergic pathways in in vivo and ex vivo experimental models were employed. Thus, the analysis of N. cinerea neurolocomotory behavior demonstrated that JBU (1.5 and 3 μg/g) induces a significant decrease in the exploratory activity. In these assays, pretreatment of animals with phentolamine, SCH23390 or reserpine, interfered significantly with the response of JBU. Using in vivo abductor metathoracic preparations JBU (1.5 μg/g) induced progressive neuromuscular blockade, in 120 min recordings. In this set of experiments, the previous treatment of the animals with phentolamine, SCH23390 or reserpine, completely inhibited JBU-induced neuromuscular blockade. The recordings of spontaneous compound neural action potentials in N. cinerea legs showed that JBU, only in the smallest dose, significantly decreased the number of potentials in 60 min recordings. When the animals were pretreated with phentolamine, SCH23390, or reserpine, but not with mianserin, there was a significant prevention of the JBU-inhibitory responses on the action potentials firing. Meanwhile, the treatment of the animals with mianserin did not affect JBU's inhibitory activity. The data presented in this work strongly suggest that the neurotoxic response of JBU in N. cinerea involves a cross talking between OCTOPAMIN-ergic and DOPAMIN-ergic nerve systems, but not the SEROTONIN-ergic neurotransmission. Further molecular biology studies with expression of insect receptors associated with voltage clamp techniques will help to discriminate the selectivity of JBU over the monoaminergic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Correia Barreto
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Raquel Soares Oliveira
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Bruna Trindade Borges
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Eduarda Rosa
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Zanatta
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Gabriel Moreira de Almeida
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde (PPGMCS), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lúcia Vinadé
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Celia Regina Carlini
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (INSCER), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande de Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Cháriston André Dal Belo
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Toxinologia (LANETOX), Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica (PPGBTox), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Departamento Multidisciplinar, Escola Paulista de Política, Economia e Negócios (EPPEN), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Angélica, 100, Jardim das Flores, 06110295, Osasco, SP, Brazil.
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4
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Righetto RD, Anton L, Adaixo R, Jakob RP, Zivanov J, Mahi MA, Ringler P, Schwede T, Maier T, Stahlberg H. High-resolution cryo-EM structure of urease from the pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5101. [PMID: 33037208 PMCID: PMC7547064 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18870-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Urease converts urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide and makes urea available as a nitrogen source for all forms of life except animals. In human bacterial pathogens, ureases also aid in the invasion of acidic environments such as the stomach by raising the surrounding pH. Here, we report the structure of urease from the pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica at 2 Å resolution from cryo-electron microscopy. Y. enterocolitica urease is a dodecameric assembly of a trimer of three protein chains, ureA, ureB and ureC. The high data quality enables detailed visualization of the urease bimetal active site and of the impact of radiation damage. The obtained structure is of sufficient quality to support drug development efforts. Urease is a nickel enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide. Here the authors report a high resolution cryo-EM structure of urease from the bacterial pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica, providing a detailed visualization of the urease bimetal active site and a basis for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo D Righetto
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Leonie Anton
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ricardo Adaixo
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roman P Jakob
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jasenko Zivanov
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed-Ali Mahi
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Ringler
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Torsten Schwede
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Timm Maier
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland.
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Sá CA, Vieira LR, Pereira Almeida Filho LC, Real-Guerra R, Lopes FC, Souza TM, Vasconcelos IM, Staniscuaski F, Carlini CR, Urano Carvalho AF, Farias DF. Risk assessment of the antifungal and insecticidal peptide Jaburetox and its parental protein the Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease. Food Chem Toxicol 2019; 136:110977. [PMID: 31759068 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.110977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Jaburetox (JBTX) is an insecticidal and antifungal peptide derived from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease that has been considered a candidate for developing genetically modified crops. This study aimed to perform the risk assessment of the peptide JBTX following the general recommendations of the two-tiered, weight-of-evidence approach proposed by International Life Sciences Institute. The urease of C. ensiformis (JBU) and its isoform JBURE IIb (the JBTX parental protein) were assessed. The history of safe use revealed no hazard reports for the studied proteins. The available information shows that JBTX possesses selective activity against insects and fungi. JBTX and JBU primary amino acids sequences showed no relevant similarity to toxic, antinutritional or allergenic proteins. Additionally, JBTX and JBU were susceptible to in vitro digestibility, and JBU was also susceptible to heat treatment. The results did not identify potential risks of adverse effects and reactions associated to JBTX. However, further allergen (e.g. serum IgE binding test) and toxicity (e.g. rodent toxicity tests) experimentation can be done to gather additional safety information on JBTX, and to meet regulatory inquiries for commercial approval of transgenic cultivars expressing this peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayenne Alves Sá
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Ceará, 60440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Rogério Vieira
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Ceará, 60440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Real-Guerra
- Center for Coastal, Limnological and Marine Studies (CECLIMAR), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, 95625-000, Imbé, RS, Brazil; Interdisciplinary Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, 95625-000, Tramandaí, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Cortez Lopes
- Center of Biotechnology and Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Building 43431, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Terezinha Maria Souza
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6229 ER, the Netherlands
| | - Ilka Maria Vasconcelos
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Ceará, 60440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Staniscuaski
- Center of Biotechnology and Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Building 43431, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Building 43431, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Célia Regina Carlini
- Center of Biotechnology and Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Building 43431, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Brain Institute (Instituto do Cérebro-INSCER), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6690, Building 63, CEP 90610-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ana Fontenele Urano Carvalho
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Ceará, 60440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; Department of Biology, Federal University of Ceará, 60440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Davi Felipe Farias
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Ceará, 60440-900, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; Laboratory for Risk Assesment of Novel Technologies - LabRisk, Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraíba, 58051-900, João Pessoa, Brazil.
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6
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Kappaun K, Piovesan AR, Carlini CR, Ligabue-Braun R. Ureases: Historical aspects, catalytic, and non-catalytic properties - A review. J Adv Res 2018; 13:3-17. [PMID: 30094078 PMCID: PMC6077230 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2018.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Urease (urea amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.5) is a nickel-containing enzyme produced by plants, fungi, and bacteria that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and carbamate. Urease is of historical importance in Biochemistry as it was the first enzyme ever to be crystallized (1926). Finding nickel in urease's active site (1975) was the first indication of a biological role for this metal. In this review, historical and structural features, kinetics aspects, activation of the metallocenter and inhibitors of the urea hydrolyzing activity of ureases are discussed. The review also deals with the non-enzymatic biological properties, whose discovery 40 years ago started a new chapter in the study of ureases. Well recognized as virulence factors due to the production of ammonia and alkalinization in diseases by urease-positive microorganisms, ureases have pro-inflammatory, endocytosis-inducing and neurotoxic activities that do not require ureolysis. Particularly relevant in plants, ureases exert insecticidal and fungitoxic effects. Data on the jack bean urease and on jaburetox, a recombinant urease-derived peptide, have indicated that interactions with cell membrane lipids may be the basis of the non-enzymatic biological properties of ureases. Altogether, with this review we wanted to invite the readers to take a second look at ureases, very versatile proteins that happen also to catalyze the breakdown of urea into ammonia and carbamate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Kappaun
- Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga 6690, Prédio 63, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Angela Regina Piovesan
- Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga 6690, Prédio 63, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Celia Regina Carlini
- Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga 6690, Prédio 63, Porto Alegre, RS CEP 90610-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Martinelli AH, Lopes FC, Broll V, Defferrari MS, Ligabue-Braun R, Kappaun K, Tichota DM, Fruttero LL, Moyetta NR, Demartini DR, Postal M, Medeiros-Silva M, Becker-Ritt AB, Pasquali G, Carlini CR. Soybean ubiquitous urease with purification facilitator: An addition to the moonlighting studies toolbox. Process Biochem 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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8
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Alzogaray RA, Zerba EN. Rhodnius prolixus intoxicated. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 97:93-113. [PMID: 27113321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a hematophagous insect native from South America. By the end of the 20th century, it was one of the main vectors of Chagas disease in Venezuela, Colombia, several Central American countries and southern Mexico. The aim of the present article is to review the literature regarding R. prolixus toxicology. British entomologist Vincent B. Wigglesworth carried out the first studies on this subject over seventy years ago. A wide bibliographical search allowed to locate one hundred and thirty scientific articles describing the effects of different insecticides on R. prolixus. About one-third of these articles report the acute toxicity and/or sublethal effects produced by the main synthetic neurotoxic families of insecticides (organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids). Only a couple of these studies have regarded the toxicokinetics or toxicodynamics of these insecticides. Insect growth or development disruptors, such as juvenoids, chitin synthesis inhibitors, precocenes, azadirachtin and lignoids, have been thoroughly studied in R. prolixus. Important aspects on the mode of action of ureases were also described in this species. By the end of the 1960's, resistance to insecticides was detected in R. prolixus from Venezuela. Some years later, the existence of pyrethroid-resistant individuals was also reported. Control programmes for R. prolixus in countries where Chagas is endemic have only used synthetic neurotoxic insecticides. In 2011, Central America and southern Mexico were declared free of this insect. The recent sequencing of the R. prolixus genome will provide valuable information to understand the molecular basis of insecticide resistance in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl A Alzogaray
- UNIDEF, CITEDEF, CONICET, CIPEIN, Villa Martelli, Argentina; Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental (3IA), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Eduardo N Zerba
- UNIDEF, CITEDEF, CONICET, CIPEIN, Villa Martelli, Argentina; Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental (3IA), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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9
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Carrazoni T, de Avila Heberle M, Perin APA, Zanatta AP, Rodrigues PV, dos Santos FDM, de Almeida CGM, Vaz Breda R, dos Santos DS, Pinto PM, da Costa JC, Carlini CR, Dal Belo CA. Central and peripheral neurotoxicity induced by the Jack Bean Urease (JBU) in Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches. Toxicology 2016; 368-369:162-171. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 08/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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10
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Micheletto YMS, Moro CF, Lopes FC, Ligabue-Braun R, Martinelli AHS, Marques CM, Schroder AP, Carlini CR, da Silveira NP. Interaction of jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease and a derived peptide with lipid vesicles. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2016; 145:576-585. [PMID: 27281243 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.05.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Ureases are metalloenzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide. Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) produces three isoforms of urease (Canatoxin, JBU and JBURE-II). Canatoxin and JBU display several biological properties independent of their ureolytic activity, such as neurotoxicity, exocytosis-inducing and pro-inflammatory effects, blood platelets activation, insecticidal and antifungal activities. The Canatoxin entomotoxic activity is mostly due to an internal peptide, named pepcanatox, released upon the hydrolysis of the protein by insect cathepsin-like digestive enzymes. Based on pepcanatox sequence, Jaburetox-2Ec was produced in Escherichia coli. JBU and its peptides were shown to permeabilize membranes through an ion channel-based mechanism. Here we studied the JBU and Jaburetox-2Ec interaction with platelet-like multilamellar liposomes (PML) using Dynamic Light Scattering and Small Angle X-ray Scattering techniques. We also analyzed the interaction of JBU with giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) using Fluorescence Microscopy. The interaction of vesicles with JBU led to a slight reduction of hydrodynamic radius, and caused an increase in the lamellar repeat distance of PML, suggesting a membrane disordering effect. In contrast, Jaburetox-2Ec decreased the lamellar repeat distance of PML membranes, while also diminishing their hydrodynamic radius. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the interaction of GUVs with JBU caused membrane perturbation with formation of tethers. In conclusion, JBU can interact with PML, probably by inserting its Jaburetox "domain" into the PML external membrane. Additionally, the interaction of Jaburetox-2Ec affects the vesicle's internal bilayers and hence causes more drastic changes in the PML membrane organization in comparison with JBU.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlo Frederico Moro
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Cortez Lopes
- Instituto do Cérebro, Pontíficia Universidade Católicado Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Célia Regina Carlini
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto do Cérebro, Pontíficia Universidade Católicado Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Nádya Pesce da Silveira
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Wiebke-Strohm B, Ligabue-Braun R, Rechenmacher C, De Oliveira-Busatto LA, Carlini CR, Bodanese-Zanettini MH. Structural and transcriptional characterization of a novel member of the soybean urease gene family. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2016; 101:96-104. [PMID: 26874294 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In plants, ureases have been related to urea degradation, to defense against pathogenic fungi and phytophagous insects, and to the soybean-Bradyrhizobium japonicum symbiosis. Two urease isoforms have been described for soybean: the embryo-specific, encoded by Eu1 gene, and the ubiquitous urease, encoded by Eu4. A third urease-encoding locus exists in the completed soybean genome. The gene was designated Eu5 and the putative product of its ORF as SBU-III. Phylogenetic analysis shows that 41 plant, moss and algal ureases have diverged from a common ancestor protein, but ureases from monocots, eudicots and ancient species have evolved independently. Genomes of ancient organisms present a single urease-encoding gene and urease-encoding gene duplication has occurred independently along the evolution of some eudicot species. SBU-III has a shorter amino acid sequence, since many gaps are found when compared to other sequences. A mutation in a highly conserved amino acid residue suggests absence of ureolytic activity, but the overall protein architecture remains very similar to the other ureases. The expression profile of urease-encoding genes in different organs and developmental stages was determined by RT-qPCR. Eu5 transcripts were detected in seeds one day after dormancy break, roots of young plants and embryos of developing seeds. Eu1 and Eu4 transcripts were found in all analyzed organs, but Eu4 expression was more prominent in seeds one day after dormancy break whereas Eu1 predominated in developing seeds. The evidence suggests that SBU-III may not be involved in nitrogen availability to plants, but it could be involved in other biological role(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Wiebke-Strohm
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Ciliana Rechenmacher
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Luisa Abruzzi De Oliveira-Busatto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Célia Regina Carlini
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto do Cérebro, Pontifícia Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6690, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Maria Helena Bodanese-Zanettini
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Carlini CR, Ligabue-Braun R. Ureases as multifunctional toxic proteins: A review. Toxicon 2015; 110:90-109. [PMID: 26690979 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Ureases are metalloenzymes that hydrolyze urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide. They were the first enzymes to be crystallized and, with them, the notion that enzymes are proteins became accepted. Novel toxic properties of ureases that are independent of their enzyme activity have been discovered in the last three decades. Since our first description of the neurotoxic properties of canatoxin, an isoform of the jack bean urease, which appeared in Toxicon in 1981, about one hundred articles have been published on "new" properties of plant and microbial ureases. Here we review the present knowledge on the non-enzymatic properties of ureases. Plant ureases and microbial ureases are fungitoxic to filamentous fungi and yeasts by a mechanism involving fungal membrane permeabilization. Plant and at least some bacterial ureases have potent insecticidal effects. This entomotoxicity relies partly on an internal peptide released upon proteolysis of ingested urease by insect digestive enzymes. The intact protein and its derived peptide(s) are neurotoxic to insects and affect a number of other physiological functions, such as diuresis, muscle contraction and immunity. In mammal models some ureases are acutely neurotoxic upon injection, at least partially by enzyme-independent effects. For a long time bacterial ureases have been recognized as important virulence factors of diseases by urease-producing microorganisms. Ureases activate exocytosis in different mammalian cells recruiting eicosanoids and Ca(2+)-dependent pathways, even when their ureolytic activity is blocked by an irreversible inhibitor. Ureases are chemotactic factors recognized by neutrophils (and some bacteria), activating them and also platelets into a pro-inflammatory "status". Secretion-induction by ureases may play a role in fungal and bacterial diseases in humans and other animals. The now recognized "moonlighting" properties of these proteins have renewed interest in ureases for their biotechnological potential to improve plant defense against pests and as potential targets to ameliorate diseases due to pathogenic urease-producing microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia R Carlini
- Brain Institute (Instituto do Cérebro-INSCER), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Lopes FC, Dobrovolska O, Real-Guerra R, Broll V, Zambelli B, Musiani F, Uversky VN, Carlini CR, Ciurli S. Pliable natural biocide: Jaburetox is an intrinsically disordered insecticidal and fungicidal polypeptide derived from jack bean urease. FEBS J 2015; 282:1043-64. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.13201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda C. Lopes
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology - Center of Biotechnology; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Olena Dobrovolska
- Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology; University of Bologna; Italy
| | - Rafael Real-Guerra
- Department of Biophysics and Center of Biotechnology; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Valquiria Broll
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology - Center of Biotechnology; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Barbara Zambelli
- Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology; University of Bologna; Italy
| | - Francesco Musiani
- Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology; University of Bologna; Italy
| | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute; Morsani College of Medicine; University of South Florida; Tampa USA
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation; Russian Academy of Sciences; Pushchino Moscow Region Russia
- Department of Biological Science; Faculty of Science; King Abdulaziz University; Jeddah Saudi Arabia
| | - Célia R. Carlini
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology - Center of Biotechnology; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
- Department of Biophysics and Center of Biotechnology; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
- Instituto do Cérebro; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Stefano Ciurli
- Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology; University of Bologna; Italy
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Pol-Fachin L, Verli H. Structural glycobiology of heparin dynamics on the exosite 2 of coagulation cascade proteases: Implications for glycosaminoglycans antithrombotic activity. Glycobiology 2013; 24:97-105. [PMID: 24201825 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwt095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
fIIa and fXa are two of the main targets of antithrombin, a serine proteases inhibitor that plays a major role in the regulation of blood clotting. The formation of ternary complexes between such molecules and glycosaminoglycans, as heparin, is the main path for inhibiting those enzymes, which may occur through two distinct mechanisms of action. While these serine proteases present distinct susceptibilities to these paths, in which fIIa demands an interaction with heparin, neither the molecular basis of this differential inhibition nor the role of fIIa glycosylation on this process is fully understood. Thus, the present work evaluated through molecular dynamics simulations the effects of glycosylation on fIIa and the consequences of heparin binding to both proteases function and dynamics. Based on the obtained data, fIIa N-linked glycan promoted an increase in the active site pocket size by stabilizing regions that encircle it, while heparin binding was observed to reverse such an effect. Additionally, heparin orientation observed on the surface of fIIa, but not fXa, allows a linear long-chain heparin binding to antithrombin in ternary complexes. Finally, the enzymes catalytic triad organization was disrupted due to a strong glycosaminoglycan binding to the proteases exosite 2. Such data support an atomic-level explanation for the higher inhibition constant of the antithrombin-heparin complex over fIIa than fXa, as well as for the different susceptibilities of those enzymes for antithrombin mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laercio Pol-Fachin
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av Bento Gonçalves 9500, CP 15005, Porto Alegre 91500-970, RS, Brazil
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15
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Real-Guerra R, Carlini CR, Stanisçuaski F. Role of lysine and acidic amino acid residues on the insecticidal activity of Jackbean urease. Toxicon 2013; 71:76-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2013] [Revised: 05/04/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Ligabue-Braun R, Andreis FC, Verli H, Carlini CR. 3-to-1: unraveling structural transitions in ureases. Naturwissenschaften 2013; 100:459-67. [PMID: 23619940 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-013-1045-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Ureases are nickel-dependent enzymes which catalyze the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbamate. Despite the apparent wealth of data on ureases, many crucial aspects regarding these enzymes are still unknown, or constitute matter for ongoing debates. One of these is most certainly their structural organization: ureases from plants and fungi have a single unit, while bacterial and archaean ones have three-chained structures. However, the primitive state of these proteins--single- or three-chained--is yet unknown, despite many efforts in the field. Through phylogenetic inference using three different datasets and two different algorithms, we were able to observe chain number transitions displayed in a 3-to-1 fashion. Our results imply that the ancestral state for ureases is the three-chained organization, with single-chained ureases deriving from them. The two-chained variants are not evolutionary intermediates. A fusion process, different from those already studied, may explain this structural transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Postal M, Martinelli AHS, Becker-Ritt AB, Ligabue-Braun R, Demartini DR, Ribeiro SFF, Pasquali G, Gomes VM, Carlini CR. Antifungal properties of Canavalia ensiformis urease and derived peptides. Peptides 2012; 38:22-32. [PMID: 22922160 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2012.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Revised: 08/12/2012] [Accepted: 08/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ureases (EC 3.5.1.5) are metalloenzymes that hydrolyze urea into ammonia and CO(2). These proteins have insecticidal and fungicidal effects not related to their enzymatic activity. The insecticidal activity of urease is mostly dependent on the release of internal peptides after hydrolysis by insect digestive cathepsins. Jaburetox is a recombinant version of one of these peptides, expressed in Escherichia coli. The antifungal activity of ureases in filamentous fungi occurs at submicromolar doses, with damage to the cell membranes. Here we evaluated the toxic effect of Canavalia ensiformis urease (JBU) on different yeast species and carried out studies aiming to identify antifungal domain(s) of JBU. Data showed that toxicity of JBU varied according to the genus and species of yeasts, causing inhibition of proliferation, induction of morphological alterations with formation of pseudohyphae, changes in the transport of H(+) and carbohydrate metabolism, and permeabilization of membranes, which eventually lead to cell death. Hydrolysis of JBU with papain resulted in fungitoxic peptides (~10 kDa), which analyzed by mass spectrometry, revealed the presence of a fragment containing the N-terminal sequence of the entomotoxic peptide Jaburetox. Tests with Jaburetox on yeasts and filamentous fungi indicated a fungitoxic activity similar to ureases. Plant ureases, such as JBU, and its derived peptides, may represent a new alternative to control medically important mycoses as well as phytopathogenic fungi, especially considering their potent activity in the range of 10(-6)-10(-7)M.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Postal
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Plant ureases and related peptides: understanding their entomotoxic properties. Toxins (Basel) 2012; 4:55-67. [PMID: 22474566 PMCID: PMC3317107 DOI: 10.3390/toxins4020055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Revised: 01/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, ureases were included in the arsenal of plant defense proteins, alongside many other proteins with biotechnological potential such as insecticides. Isoforms of Canavalia ensiformis urease (canatoxin—CNTX and jack bean urease—JBURE-I) are toxic to insects of different orders. This toxicity is due in part to the release of a 10 kDa peptide from the native protein, by cathepsin-like enzymes present in the insect digestive tract. The entomotoxic peptide, Jaburetox-2Ec, exhibits potent insecticidal activity against several insects, including many resistant to the native ureases. JBURE-I and Jaburetox-2Ec cause major alterations of post-feeding physiological processes in insects, which contribute to, or can be the cause of, their entomotoxic effect. An overview of the current knowledge on plant urease processing and mechanisms of action in insects is presented in this review.
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