Abstract
Vicilin has nutraceutical potential and different noteworthy medicative health-promoting biotic diversions, and it is remarkable against pathogenic microorganisms and insects. In this study,
Vigna aconitifolia
vicilin (
Vac
V) has been identified and characterized from the seed of
Vigna aconitifolia
(Jacq.) Marechal (Moth beans). LC-MS/MS analysis of
Vac
V provided seven random fragmented sequences comprising 238 residues, showing significant homology with already reported
Vigna radiata
vicilin (
Vra
V).
Vac
V was purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation (60%) followed by size exclusion chromatography on Hi-Load 16/60 Superdex 200 pg column and anion-exchange chromatography (Hi trap Q FF column). Purified
Vac
V showed a major ~50 kDa band and multiple lower bands on 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under both reduced and non-reduced conditions. After all, a three-dimensional molecular structure of
Vac
V was predicted, which showed β-sheeted molecular conformation similar to crystallographic structure of
Vra
V. All Vicilins from
V
.
aconitifolia
and other plants were divided into six sub-groups by phylogenetic analysis, and
Vac
V shared a high degree of similarity with vicilins of
Vigna radiata
,
Pisum sativum
,
Lupinus albus
,
Cicer arietinum
and
Glycine max
. Additionally,
Vac
V (20 μg) has significant growth inhibition against different pathogenic bacteria along strong antifungal activity (50 μg). Likewise,
Vac
V (3.0 mg) produced significant growth reduction in Rice Weevil
Sitophilus oryzae
larvae after 9 days compared with control. Furthermore, by using MMT assay, the cytotoxicity effect of
Vac
V on the growth of HepG2 liver cancerous cells was tested.
Vac
V showed cytotoxicity against the HepG-2 line and the acquired value was 180 µg after 48 h. Finally, we performed molecular docking against caspase-3 protein (PDB ID: 3DEI) for
Vac
V bioactive receptor interface residues. Hence, our results reveal that
Vac
V, has nutraceutical potential and moth beans can be used as a rich resource of functional foods.