Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity
High-cationic biologically active peptides of the thionins family were isolated from black cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) seeds. According to their physicochemical characteristics, they were classified as representatives of the class I thionin subfamily. Novel peptides were called “Nig...
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/166 |
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| author | Anna S. Barashkova Vera S. Sadykova Victoria A. Salo Sergey K. Zavriev Eugene A. Rogozhin |
| author_facet | Anna S. Barashkova Vera S. Sadykova Victoria A. Salo Sergey K. Zavriev Eugene A. Rogozhin |
| author_sort | Anna S. Barashkova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High-cationic biologically active peptides of the thionins family were isolated from black cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) seeds. According to their physicochemical characteristics, they were classified as representatives of the class I thionin subfamily. Novel peptides were called “Nigellothionins”, so-called because of their source plant. Thionins are described as components of plant innate immunity to environmental stress factors. Nine nigellothionins were identified in the plant in different amounts. Complete amino acid sequences were determined for three of them, and a high degree of similarity was detected. Three nigellothionins were examined for antifungal properties against collection strains. The dominant peptide, NsW2, was also examined for activity against clinical isolates of fungi. Cytotoxic activity was determined for NsW2. Nigellothionins activity against all collection strains and clinical isolates varied from absence to a value comparable to amphotericin B, which can be explained by the presence of amino acid substitutions in their sequences. Cytotoxic activity in vitro for NsW2 was detected at sub-micromolar concentrations. This has allowed us to propose an alteration of the molecular mechanism of action at different concentrations. The results obtained suggest that nigellothionins are natural compounds that can be used as antimycotic and anti-proliferative agents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:22:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-475350d319654fe59010675c490cbdde |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:22:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-475350d319654fe59010675c490cbdde2023-12-03T12:39:33ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822021-02-0110216610.3390/antibiotics10020166Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic ActivityAnna S. Barashkova0Vera S. Sadykova1Victoria A. Salo2Sergey K. Zavriev3Eugene A. Rogozhin4Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 117997 Moscow, RussiaGause Institute of New Antibiotics, 11 ul. Bol’shaya Pirogovskaya, 119021 Moscow, RussiaLaboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biophysics, Sevastopol State University, 33 Universitetskaya Str., 299053 Sevastopol, RussiaShemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 117997 Moscow, RussiaShemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya, 117997 Moscow, RussiaHigh-cationic biologically active peptides of the thionins family were isolated from black cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) seeds. According to their physicochemical characteristics, they were classified as representatives of the class I thionin subfamily. Novel peptides were called “Nigellothionins”, so-called because of their source plant. Thionins are described as components of plant innate immunity to environmental stress factors. Nine nigellothionins were identified in the plant in different amounts. Complete amino acid sequences were determined for three of them, and a high degree of similarity was detected. Three nigellothionins were examined for antifungal properties against collection strains. The dominant peptide, NsW2, was also examined for activity against clinical isolates of fungi. Cytotoxic activity was determined for NsW2. Nigellothionins activity against all collection strains and clinical isolates varied from absence to a value comparable to amphotericin B, which can be explained by the presence of amino acid substitutions in their sequences. Cytotoxic activity in vitro for NsW2 was detected at sub-micromolar concentrations. This has allowed us to propose an alteration of the molecular mechanism of action at different concentrations. The results obtained suggest that nigellothionins are natural compounds that can be used as antimycotic and anti-proliferative agents.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/166thionins<i>Nigella sativa</i>plant antimicrobial peptidesamino acid sequenceantifungal activitycytotoxic properties |
| spellingShingle | Anna S. Barashkova Vera S. Sadykova Victoria A. Salo Sergey K. Zavriev Eugene A. Rogozhin Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity Antibiotics thionins <i>Nigella sativa</i> plant antimicrobial peptides amino acid sequence antifungal activity cytotoxic properties |
| title | Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity |
| title_full | Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity |
| title_fullStr | Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity |
| title_short | Nigellothionins from Black Cumin (<i>Nigella sativa</i> L.) Seeds Demonstrate Strong Antifungal and Cytotoxic Activity |
| title_sort | nigellothionins from black cumin i nigella sativa i l seeds demonstrate strong antifungal and cytotoxic activity |
| topic | thionins <i>Nigella sativa</i> plant antimicrobial peptides amino acid sequence antifungal activity cytotoxic properties |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/166 |
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