Melia azedarach L. extract induced the production of phytocystatin in passion fruit leaves

Alyne Bispo  Rodrigues; César Luis  Siqueira Junior

doi:10.1590/2236-8906-98/2019

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Alyne Bispo Rodrigues Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório de Bioquímica e Função de Proteínas Vegetais, Avenida Pasteur, 458, Urca, 22290-240 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4090-1888
César Luis Siqueira Junior Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório de Bioquímica e Função de Proteínas Vegetais, Avenida Pasteur, 458, Urca, 22290-240 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8668-2222

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-8906-98/2019

Keywords:

cinamomo, cystatin, plant defense, plant extract

Abstract

Phytocystatins belong to the family of cysteine proteinases inhibitors. These proteinase inhibitors have crucial functions in plant defense against insects and pathogens attack. In the present study Melia azedarach L. extract acts as an elicitor of plant defense responses in passion fruit seedlings inducing the increase of a phytocystatin levels in of these plants. The leaf protein content of the seedlings was extracted 24 hours after treatment with plant extract and analyzed for the induction of proteinase inhibitor activity. The results demonstrated the induction of a ~ 60 kD phytocystatin (Pfcyst) that has in vitro inhibitory effects against papain. These findings suggest that M. azedarach plant extracts may act as a potential activator of induced resistance against insects and pathogens by upregulating cystatin proteins synthesis in passion fruits plants. Thus, the use of plant extracts as biodefensives could reduce the use of pesticides in economically important agricultural crops.