Journal Article

Purification and Characterization of a Nonspecific Lipid Transfer Protein 1 (nsLTP1) from Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) Seeds

Ul-Haq, Zaheer, Choudhary, M. Iqbal, Nazeer, Meshal, Waheed, Humera, Ahmed, Aftab, Saeed, Maria, Ali, Saman Yousuf

2019

Overview

Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) belongs to the family Umbelliferae, is commonly used in traditional, and folk medicine due to its carminative, stimulant, antiseptic, diuretic, antihypertensive, and hepatoprotective activities. Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) reported from various plants are known to be involved in transferring lipids between membranes and in plants defense response. Here, we describe the complete primary structure of a monomeric non-specific lipid transfer protein 1 (nsLTP1), with molecular weight of 9.66 kDa, from ajwain seeds. The nsLTP1 has been purified by combination of chromatographic techniques, and further characterized by mass spectrometry, and Edman degradation. The ajwain nsLTP1 is comprised of 91 amino acids, with eight conserved cysteine residues. The amino acid sequence based predicted three dimensional (3D) structure is composed of four α-helices stabilized by four disulfide bonds, and a long C -terminal tail. The predicted model was verified by using different computational tools; i.e. ERRAT, verify 3D web server, and PROCHECK. The docking of ajwain nsLTP1 with ligands; myristic acid (MYR), and oleic acid (OLE) was performed, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to validate the docking results. The findings suggested that amino acids; Leu11, Leu12, Ala55, Ala56, Val15, Tyr59, and Leu62 are pivotal for the binding of lipid molecules with ajwain nsLTP1.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 631/114 / 631/45/612 / 82/16 / 82/29 / 82/58 / 82/81 / 82/83 / Amino acid sequence / Amino acids / Antihypertensives / Apiaceae - enzymology / Binding Sites / Carrier Proteins - chemistry / Carrier Proteins - metabolism / Computer applications / Conserved sequence / Disulfide bonds / Edman degradation / Humanities and Social Sciences / Internet / Lipid transfer proteins / Lipids / Mass spectrometry / Mass spectroscopy / Molecular Docking Simulation / Molecular dynamics / Molecular weight / multidisciplinary / Myristic Acid - chemistry / Myristic Acid - metabolism / Oleic acid / Oleic Acid - chemistry / Oleic Acid - metabolism / Plant Proteins - chemistry / Plant Proteins - metabolism / Protein Binding / Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical / Protein purification / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Seeds / Seeds - enzymology / Trachyspermum / Traditional medicine