Antiviral activity of hemocyanins

Authors

  • P Dolashka Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, BAS, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • W Voelter Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, BAS, Sofia, Bulgaria ; Interfacultary Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tϋbingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 4, D-72076 Tϋbingen, Germany.

Keywords:

functional units, hemocyanin, mollusks, arthropods, viruses

Abstract

Hemocyanins are giant biological macromolecules acting as oxygen-transporting glycoproteins.
Most of them are respiratory proteins of arthropods and mollusks, but besides they also exhibit
protecting effects against bacterial, fungal and viral invasions. As discovered by 2-DGE proteomics analyses, several proteins including hemocyanins of hemocytes from virus-infected arthropods increased upon infection, confirming hemocyanin’s role as part of the organism’s defence system. Based on the structural analyses of molluscan Hcs it is suggested that the carbohydrate chains of the glycoproteins seem to interact with surface-exposed amino acid or carbohydrate residues of the viruses through van der Waals interactions.

Downloads

Published

2013-10-11

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2013)

Section

Review