Análise proteômica, purificação e caracterização de uma peptidase cisteínica oligomérica do látex de Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) Schum

Abstract

A great number of plant species produce latex, including Apocynacea, Sapotacea, Papaveracea and Euphorbiaceae. Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) Schum is a laticifer shrub belonging to Apocynaceae family popularly known as “chapéu-de-napoleão”. It is very limited the proteomic information about this specie. Thus, a proteomic analysis of protein fraction (TpLP) from T. peruviana latex was performed using two dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A total of 33 proteins (86%) were identified, including storage proteins, peptidase inhibitor, cysteine peptidases, peroxidases and osmotins. This protein fraction showed strong proteolytic activity at pH 5.0 which was increased in the presence of low concentrations of the reducing agent DTT. The inhibition this activity in the presence of specific inhibitors E-64 and IAA and the high activity with BANA showed the predominance of cysteine peptidases in latex. A cysteine peptidase, termed peruvianin-I, was purified from the latex by a single chromatographic step involving gel filtration. The enzyme was inhibited by E-64 and iodoacetamide (IAA) and follows the Michaelis-Menten kinetics, showing high affinity for azocasein, with Km value of 17.6 uM, exhibiting an optimal pH and temperature of 5.0-6.0 and 25-37 °C, respectively. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry revealed that peruvianin-I (100 kDa) possesses a pI of 4.0 and five subunits (20 kDa). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of peruvianin-I (1ADPGPLQDFCLADLNSPLFINGYPCRNPALAISDDF36) was similar to that of germin or germin-like proteins. High-resolution images from atomic force microscopy indicated the possible hexameric structure of peruvianin-I, which is organized as a trimer of dimers that form a central channel. TpLP and peruvianin-I exhibited no oxalate oxidase and superoxide dismutase activity or antifungal effects on the spore germination of Fusarium solani. This study showed that T. peruviana latex are a rich source of pathogenesis-related proteins, including cysteine peptidases. Interestingly, these peptidases exhibit different structural and biochemical characteristics that may be related to their specific physiological functions.