Avaliação da integridade da curcina (uma RIP tipo 1) durante o armazenamento da torta residual de sementes de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L.)

Abstract

Type 1 Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs) are monomeric enzymes with molecular mass between 25 to 30 KDa. Type 1 RIPs have an RNA-N-glicosidase domain, but do not have glycoconjugate ligand domain characteristic of type 2 RIPs. Because of that, type 1 are less toxic then type 2 RIPs. Curcin is a type 1 RIP isolated from Jatropha curcas seeds and has several reports suggesting its biotechnological potentials. The aim of this thesis was to monitor the presence of curcin into the residual cake derived from J. curcas seeds during 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 days of storage. The samples were evaluated according to its physicochemical and conformational aspects and also its in vivo and in vitro biological activities. For these tests, J. curcas seeds cake stored for different periods were used. With each cake was performed extraction and purification of curcin. After each purification, it was performed tests to assess purity, conformational aspects, in vivo and in vitro biological activities and anti-helminth effect of each purification batch. These tests showed that curcin obtained after 90 days of stored J. curcas cake did not show difference in its purification yield and maintained its biological effects and conformational aspects. It did not show decrease of RNA-N-glicosidase activity preserving its high toxicity against Artemia salina cists and Ascaridia galli with similar effects of commercial medicines. In conclusion, curcin purified from J. curcas seeds cake stored for 90 days still presenting high structural stability and biological activities and can be used as biotechnological tool.