A novel chitin‐binding protein fromMoringa oleiferaseed with potential for plant disease control

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Abstract
A thermostable chitin‐binding protein (14.3 kDa) with antifungal activity was isolated fromMoringa oleiferaseeds by affinity chromatography on chitin followed by ion exchange chromatography. NH2‐CPAIQRCCQQLRNIQPPCRCCQ (Mo‐CBP3) is a glycoprotein with 2.5% sugar, pI 10.8, without hemagglutination, chitinase or β‐glucanase activities.Mo‐CBP3possesses in vitro antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungiFusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Colletotrichum musaeandC. gloesporioides. Contrarily,Mo‐CBP3did not affectPythium oligandrum, an oomycete. At 0.05 mg/ml,Mo‐CBP3showed to be fungistatic againstF. solani, but at 0.1 mg/mlMo‐CBP3behaved as a potent fungicidal agent as it inhibited both the spore germination and mycelial growth ofF. solani. Surprisingly, the effect ofMo‐CBP3against spore germination was observed even when the protein was heated at 100°C for 1 h or pretreated with 0.15MN‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine.Mo‐CBP3inhibited the glucose‐stimulated acidification of the incubation medium byF. solani. This is apparently caused by structural plasma membrane disarrangement induced byMo‐CBP3. Altogether, these results suggest thatMo‐CBP3might be involved in plant defense mechanisms and could be used as potential antifungal agent for controlling fungal pathogens in plants. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 406–415, 2012.

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