1. Chitinase from the Latex of Ficus benjamina L. Displays Antifungal Activity by Inducing ROS Generation and Structural Damage to the Fungal Cell Wall and Plasma Membrane
- Author
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Pedro F.N. Souza, Jose T.A. Oliveira, Handerson R.O. Mota, Thiago F. Martins, Ilka M. Vasconcelos, Helen P.S. Costa, Dhel P. Neres, and Fredy D.A. Silva
- Subjects
Antifungal Agents ,Latex ,Cell Wall ,Structural Biology ,Chitinases ,Cell Membrane ,Chitin ,General Medicine ,Ficus ,Reactive Oxygen Species ,Biochemistry - Abstract
Background: Chitinases are plant defense-related proteins with a high biotechnological potential to be applied in agriculture. Objectives: This study aimed to purify a chitinase from the latex of Ficus benjamina. Methods: An antifungal class I chitinase, named FbLx-Chi-1, was purified from the latex of Ficus benjamina after precipitation with 30-60% ammonium sulfate and affinity chromatography on a chitin column and antifungal potential assay against phytopathogenic fungi important to agriculture. Results: FbLx-Chi-1 has 30 kDa molecular mass, as estimated by SDS-PAGE and the optimal pH and temperature for full chitinolytic activity were 5.5 and 60 ºC, respectively. FbLx-Chi-1 is a high pH-, ion-tolerant and thermostable protein. Importantly, FbLx-Chi-1 hindered the growth of the phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium pallidoroseum, and Fusarium oxysporum. The action mode of FbLx-Chi-1 to hamper F. pallidoroseum growth seems to be correlated with alterations in the morphology of the hyphal cell wall, increased plasma membrane permeability, and overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Conclusion: These findings highlight the biotechnological potential of FbLx-Chi-1 to control important phytopathogenic fungi in agriculture. In addition, FbLx-Chi-1 could be further explored to be used in industrial processes such as the large-scale environmentally friendly enzymatic hydrolysis of chitin to produce its monomer N-acetyl-β-D-glucosamine, which is employed for bioethanol production, in cosmetics, in medicine, and for other multiple applications.
- Published
- 2022