Structurally dissimilar proteins with antiviral and antifungal potency from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds.
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Evidence is presented for the existence of multiple proteins with antifungal and antiviral potency in cowpea seeds. The two proteins, designated alpha- and beta-antifungal proteins in accordance with their order of elution from the CM-Sepharose column, were capable of inhibiting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase and one of the glycohydrolases associated with HIV infection, alpha-glucosidase, but beta-glucuronidase was not repressed. The ability of the proteins in retarding mycelial growth of a variety of fungi was also demonstrated with alpha-antifungal protein being more potent in most of the cases. Beta-antifungal protein was more active in only one instance. Both antifungal proteins had low cell-free translation-inhibitory activity. The proteins were adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel-and CM-Sepharose but could be separated from one another during chromatography on the latter medium by means of a linear NaCl concentration gradient. Different molecular weights were exhibited by the proteins, being 28 kDa and 12 kDa respectively for alpha- and beta- antifungal proteins. Alpha-antifungal protein was characterized by an N-terminal sequence showing close resemblance to sequences of chitinases. Beta-antifungal protein exhibited an N-terminal sequence hitherto unknown in the literature.