CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF AN ASPARTIC PROTEINASE ISOLATED FROM Salpichroa origanifolia FRUITS

DIAZ, ME; GABRIELA F. ROCHA; TORRES NÁGERA, MA; GUEVARA, MG; MONICA G. PARISI

Rosario, Santa fe

Congreso; Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2014

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular

We have isolated an aspartic proteinase from mature fruits of Salpichroa origanifolia. This protease has a PSI (plant specific insert) domain that could lead to cytotoxic activity based in membrane interaction. In order to evaluate the cytotoxic activity, suspensions of cysts of Phytophthora capsici or conidia of Fusarium solani were incubated with different amounts of the purified proteinase. The results obtained show that the aspartic proteinase inhibits germination of P. capsici and F. solani in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the increase in proteinase concentration also causes an increase in fluorescence due to the uptake of SYTOX Green suggesting a direct interaction with its surface structures.