ACCUMULATION OF A HOST MICROSOMAL FRACTION PROTEIN IN VIRUS-INFECTED CUCUMBER AND TOMATO

Total, soluble and microsomal fraction proteins were isolated from leaves of healthy and virus-infected cucumber and tomato plants, and separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The analysis revealed the accumulation of a microsomal fraction protein in severely infected plants: cucumber with zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and tomato with cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). The proteins accumulated (MP 39) in the hosts when they showed severe disease symptoms exhibited the same electrophoretic mobility and had a molecular mass of approximately 39 kDa. The MP 39 was not revealed by concanavalin-A, and was present in the aqueous phase from Triton X-114 fractionation, indicating that the MP 39 is a peripheral membrane protein. Bidimensional electrophoretic analysis revealed the same characteristics for the protein accumulated in infected cucumber and tomato. Antibodies directly raised against virus particles failed to react with the MP 39, suggesting the accumulated protein is unrelated to any of the structural proteins of ZYMV and CMV, being probably a host encoded protein that accumulates in severely virus-infected plants. While activities of soluble and cell wall bound peroxidases were increased in infected plants, no peroxidase activity was found associated with MP 39. The data obtained in this work are a good base for subsequent studies on the role of the MP 39 in infected plants.33445346

Anti-HSV-1 and anti-HIV-1 activity of gallic acid and pentyl gallate

The synthetic n-alkyl esters of gallic acid (GA), also known as gallates, especially propyl, octyl and dodecyl gallates, are widely employed as antioxidants by food and pharmaceutical industries. The inhibitory effects of GA and 15 gallates on Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) replication were investigated here. After a preliminary screening of these compounds, GA and pentyl gallate (PG) seemed to be the most active compounds against HSV-1 replication and their mode of action was characterized through a set of assays, which attempted to localize the step of the viral multiplication cycle where impairment occurred. The detected anti-HSV-1 activity was mediated by the inhibition of virus attachment to and penetration into cells, and by virucidal properties. Furthermore, an anti-HIV-1 activity was also found, to different degrees. In summary, our results suggest that both compounds could be regarded as promising candidates for the development of topical anti-HSV-1 agents, and further studies concerning the anti-HIV-1 activity of this group of molecules are merited

Anti-HSV-1 and anti-HIV-1 activity of gallic acid and pentyl gallate

The synthetic n-alkyl esters of gallic acid (GA), also known as gallates, especially propyl, octyl and dodecyl gallates, are widely employed as antioxidants by food and pharmaceutical industries. The inhibitory effects of GA and 15 gallates on Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) replication were investigated here. After a preliminary screening of these compounds, GA and pentyl gallate (PG) seemed to be the most active compounds against HSV-1 replication and their mode of action was characterized through a set of assays, which attempted to localize the step of the viral multiplication cycle where impairment occurred. The detected anti-HSV-1 activity was mediated by the inhibition of virus attachment to and penetration into cells, and by virucidal properties. Furthermore, an anti-HIV-1 activity was also found, to different degrees. In summary, our results suggest that both compounds could be regarded as promising candidates for the development of topical anti-HSV-1 agents, and further studies concerning the anti-HIV-1 activity of this group of molecules are merited