Thionins, which are high-sulphur polypeptides present in the endosperm of wheat and related species, have ben found to prevent growth and to inhibit macromolecular synthesis in cultured mammalian cells. Baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells were markedly more sensitive to thionins than the other cell lines tested (monkey CV1, mouse L, human HeLa). A thionin concentration of 5 microgram/ml (1 microM) ...

To determine the influence of variations in both lipid species and lipid packing on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) hydrolytic activity, the activities of two PLA2 isolated from Crotalus molossus molossus venom, were followed on unilamellar liposomes modified by membrane-active peptides. Enzymatic activity was compared with cytolytic activity on human and mouse lymphocytes. Phosphatidylcholine liposome...

Filter paper discs impregnated with solutions containing 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/milliliter of thionin acetate, 0.75 and 1.5 mg/milliliter of basic fuchsin and 0.5 mg/milliliter of thionin blue were used in the typing of Brucella species. All the strains used reacted as expected, proving this new technique to be reliable in the identification of Brucella species. The method is less expensive and the...

Thionins are synthesized as precursors with a signal peptide and a long C-terminal acidic peptide that is post-translationally processed. A fusion protein including the maltose-binding protein from Escherichia coli (MalE), thionin DG3 from barley leaves, and its acidic C-terminal peptide has been used to obtain antibodies that recognize both domains of the precursor. In barley leaf sections, ma...

Thionins are antimicrobial proteins that are thought to be involved in plant defense. Concordant with this view, we have recently shown that the Arabidopsis thionin Thi2.1 gene is inducible by phytopathogenic fungi. Here, we demonstrate that constitutive overexpression of this thionin enhances the resistance of the susceptible ecotype Columbia (Col-2) against attack by Fusarium oxysporum f sp m...

Few-layer graphene has been prepared by electrochemical intercalation of graphite cathode using Na/ dimethyl sulfoxide complexes as intercalation agent. By adding thionin acetate salt into the electrolyte, the exfoliated graphite is stabilized and further exfoliated into few-layer graphene. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectra indicate that the graphene material has lower content of defects an...

The effects of five antipathogenic plant peptides, wheat alpha-thionin, potato PTH1 defensin, barley LTP2 lipid transfer protein, and potato tuber DL1 and DL2 defensins, have been tested against phospholipid vesicles (liposomes). Wheat thionin very actively induces aggregation and leakage of negatively charged vesicles. LTP2 displays the same activities, although to a limited extent. Under cert...