Antiviral Cystine Knot α-Amylase Inhibitors from Alstonia scholaris.

ABSTRACT: Cystine knot α-amylase inhibitors are cysteine-rich, proline-rich peptides found in the Amaranthaceae and Apocynaceae plant species. They are characterized by a pseudocyclic backbone with two to four prolines and three disulfides arranged in a knotted motif. Similar to other knottins, cystine knot α-amylase inhibitors are highly resistant to degradation by heat and protease treatments. Thus far, only the α-amylase inhibition activity has been described for members of this family. Here, we show that cystine knot α-amylase inhibitors named alstotides discovered from the Alstonia scholaris plant of the Apocynaceae family display antiviral activity. The alstotides (As1-As4) were characterized by both proteomic and genomic methods. All four alsotides are novel, heat-stable and enzyme-stable and

SUBMITTER: Nguyen PQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4692237 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature