Computer aided identification of a Hevein-like antimicrobial peptide of bell pepper leaves for biotechnological use.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial peptides from plants present mechanisms of action that are different from those of conventional defense agents. They are under-explored but have a potential as commercial antimicrobials. Bell pepper leaves ('Magali R') are discarded after harvesting the fruit and are sources of bioactive peptides. This work reports the isolation by peptidomics tools, and the identification and partially characterization by computational tools of an antimicrobial peptide from bell pepper leaves, and evidences the usefulness of records and the in silico analysis for the study of plant peptides aiming biotechnological uses. RESULTS: Aqueous extracts from leaves were enriched in peptide by salt fractionation and ultrafiltration. An antimicrobial peptide was isolated by tandem chromatographic procedures. Mass spectrometry, automated peptide sequencing and bioinformatics tools were used alternately for identification and partial characterization of the Hevein-like peptide, named HEV-CANN. The computational tools that assisted to the identification of the peptide included BlastP, PSI-Blast, ClustalOmega, PeptideCutter, and ProtParam; conventional protein databases (DB) as Mascot, Protein-DB, GenBank-DB, RefSeq, Swiss-Prot, and UniProtKB; specific for peptides DB as Amper, APD2, CAMP, LAMPs, and PhytAMP; other tools included in ExPASy for Proteomics; The Bioactive Peptide Databases, and The Pepper Genome Database. The HEV-CANN sequence presented 40 amino acid residues, 4258.8 Da, theoretical pI-value of 8.78, and four disulfide bonds. It was stable, and it has inhibited the growth of phytopathogenic bacteria and a fungus. HEV-CANN presented a chitin-binding domain in their sequence. There was a high identity and a positive alignment of HEV-CANN sequence in various databases, but there was not a complete identity, suggesting that HEV-CANN may be produced by ribosomal synthesis, which is in accordance with its constitutive nature. CONCLUSIONS: Computational tools for proteomics and databases are not adjusted for short sequences, which hampered HEV-CANN identification. The adjustment of statistical tests in large databases for proteins is an alternative to promote the significant identification of peptides. The development of specific DB for plant antimicrobial peptides, with information about peptide sequences, functional genomic data, structural motifs and domains of molecules, functional domains, and peptide-biomolecule interactions are valuable and necessary.

Orientação nutricional e parâmetros antropométricos de professores / Nutritional orientation and anthropometric parameters of teachers / Orientación nutricional y parámetros antropométricos del profesor

O professor está diretamente exposto ao desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Para a prevenção e/ou tratamento dessas doenças, as atividades de educação nutricional possuem grande relevância. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da orientação nutricional sobre os parâmetros antropométricos de professores. Alguns parâmetros antropométricos foram analisados (Índice de Massa Corporal, Relação Cintura/Quadril, Índice de Adiposidade Corporal) no início (etapa 1) e final (etapa 4) do estudo, após a distribuição das orientações nutricionais, bem como o conhecimento nutricional dos participantes e suas dificuldades para seguir tais orientações. Avaliaram-se os dados pelos testes de Wilcoxon e o Exato de Fisher, a 5% de significância. A maioria dos avaliados apresentou excesso de peso no início e final do estudo, evidenciando que não houve alteração do estado nutricional. Não houve associação entre a classificação do estado nutricional e o conhecimento e uso da pirâmide, prática de atividade física e alimentação saudável. A maioria dos professores relatou alteração do hábito alimentar e não apresentou dificuldades para seguir as orientações propostas. Concluiu-se que as orientações nutricionais isoladas durante dois meses não foram suficientes para melhorar o estado nutricional dos professores, fazendo-se necessários trabalhos multidisciplinares (nutricional, psicológico e com atividade física), a longo prazo, para melhoria dos parâmetros antropométricos.

Teachers are directly exposed to the development of non-communicable chronic diseases, whose prevention and treatment rely heavily on nutritional education activities. This study sought to evaluate the effects of nutritional orientation on the teachers' anthropometric parameters. Some anthropometric parameters (Body Mass Index, Waist/Hip Ratio, Body Adiposity Index) were analyzed at the beginning (step 1) and end (step 4) of the study, after distribution of nutritional guidelines, as well as the participants' nutritional knowledge and difficulties to follow such orientations. Data were evaluated by Wilcoxon and Fisher's exact tests at 5% significance. Most participants were overweight at the beginning and end of the study, showing a lack of change in nutritional status. Data analysis showed no association between nutritional status classification and the knowledge and use of the pyramid, physical activity and healthy eating. Most teachers reported changes in their eating habits and had no difficulties in following the proposed orientations. In conclusion, nutritional orientation alone for two months are insufficient to improve the nutritional status of teachers. A long-term multidisciplinary work (nutritional, psychological, and physical activity) is necessary to improve anthropometric parameters.

El profesor está directamente expuesto al desarrollo de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. Las actividades de educación nutricional tienen una gran relevancia en la prevención y/o tratamiento de estas enfermedades. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los efectos de la orientación nutricional sobre los parámetros antropométricos de los profesores. Se analizaron algunos parámetros antropométricos (Índice de Masa Corporal, Relación Cintura/Cadera, Índice de Adiposidad Corporal) al inicio (paso 1) y al final (paso 4) del estudio, luego de la distribución de las guías nutricionales, así como los conocimientos nutricionales y las dificultades para seguirlas. Los datos se evaluaron mediante las pruebas de Wilcoxon y Exacta de Fisher, con una significancia del 5%. La mayoría de los participantes tenían sobrepeso al principio y al final del estudio, lo que demuestra que no hubo cambios en el estado nutricional. No hubo asociación entre la clasificación del estado nutricional y el conocimiento y uso de la pirámide, la práctica de la actividad física y la alimentación saludable. La mayoría de los profesores informaron cambios en los hábitos alimenticios y no tuvieron dificultades para seguir las pautas propuestas. Se concluyó que las pautas nutricionales aisladas durante dos meses no fueron suficientes para mejorar el estado nutricional de los docentes, haciendo necesario el trabajo multidisciplinario (nutricional, psicológico y con actividad física) a largo plazo, para mejorar los parámetros antropométricos.