Snapshot of Technologies

An Antifungal Synthetic Peptide Derived from Osmotin Protein

  1. Overview

Brief Description: This invention describes a novel 9-mer short cyclic peptide (sequence: CCNSGSCSP) derived from the osmotin protein of Piper colubrinum. It functions as a potent antifungal agent, specifically effective against Phytophthora capsici, the oomycete pathogen responsible for foot rot disease in black pepper (Piper nigrum). The peptide also acts as a plant defense inducer and priming agent, offering a greener and environment-friendly option for fungicide.

Development Stage: The document outlines detailed experimental procedures for synthesizing the peptide, testing its antifungal activity in vitro and in vivo on Piper nigrum leaves and seedlings, and analyzing its effect on gene expression. This indicates that the technology is in a robust research and development phase, with strong experimental validation, likely at the pre-commercialization stage.

  1. Key Features
  • Potent Antifungal Activity: The synthetic 9-mer peptide (CCNSGSCSP) demonstrates significant antifungal activity against Phytophthora capsici, which is a major threat to crops like black pepper. It shows inhibitory effects on both hyphae and sporangia, leading to hyphal breakage and malformed sporangia at higher concentrations.
  • Plant Defense Elicitor and Priming Agent: At lower concentrations (e.g., 1 µg/mL), the peptide effectively induces innate immunity in susceptible plants by significantly upregulating key genes in secondary metabolite (phenyl propanoid) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) signaling pathways. This "priming" effect offers long-term protection against pathogens.
  • Synergistic Effect with Glycol Chitosan: The peptide, when combined with glycol chitosan (a known plant defense elicitor), shows an additive inhibitory effect against Phytophthora capsici, leading to a more pronounced reduction in necrotic lesions than either component alone.
  1. Benefits:
  • Economic Impact: By providing an effective solution against Phytophthora capsici, the technology can significantly reduce crop losses, particularly in black pepper cultivation. This can save farmers substantial money on disease management and prevent economic losses due to reduced yields and poor quality produce.
  • Social Impact: The invention offers a "greener" and environment-friendly fungicide option, reducing reliance on chemical oomyceticides that cause serious environmental pollution and drug resistance. This can contribute to safer food production and potentially be developed as a therapeutic agent for antimicrobial applications in higher organisms, including humans.
  • Environmental Impact: The peptide is derived from a natural plant defense protein, providing an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides. Its use can help mitigate environmental pollution caused by conventional pesticides and support sustainable agricultural practices.
  1. Applications:
  • Industry 1 (Agriculture - Crop Protection): The primary application is as an antifungal agent and priming agent for crop protection, particularly in preventing foot rot disease caused by Phytophthora capsici in Piper nigrum. It can be used alone or in combination with other defense elicitors and/or pesticides for enhanced biological control.
  • Industry 2 (Biotechnology - Antimicrobial Agents): The peptide and its derivatives have potential applications as antimicrobial and therapeutic agents in other higher organisms, including humans, due to their fungicidal activity. This opens avenues for broader biotechnological applications beyond plant protection.
  • Research Opportunities: Further research can focus on identifying the specific fungal cell wall proteins targeted by the peptide, developing optimized derivatives and formulations for various applications, and conducting advanced studies to validate its use as a therapeutic agent in humans.
  1. Case Studies:
  • Inhibitory Effect on Phytophthora capsici Growth: Experiments showed that pretreatment with osmotin peptide (1-200 µg/mL) significantly reduced the growth of Phytophthora capsici on Piper nigrum leaves. Higher concentrations led to hyphal disintegration and malformed sporangia, demonstrating direct fungicidal action. This effect was evident as early as 3 hours after treatment and sustained up to 72 hours post-infection.
  • Induction of Plant Defense Genes: Osmotin peptide pretreatment induced the expression of key genes in the phenyl propanoid pathway and ROS signaling pathways (e.g., CHS, COAMT, GST, AsPX, FPS2, GGPS, NAPDHO, CHOS, PAL, SOD, PRDX, PEX, RBOHD, GPX) in Piper nigrum leaves. This indicates that the peptide acts as a powerful defense elicitor, enhancing the plant's natural immune response.
  1. IP Status:
  • Intellectual Property: Indian patent granted for the invention vide patent number 548799 dated August 07, 2024. Brazilian patent is also applied vide application number BR 11 2022 020417 5 dated October 7, 2022.  
  1. Support Offered:
  • Licensing Options: Exclusive, non-exclusive licensing options are available.
  • Technical Support: Experimental protocols and optimization guidance will be provided.
  • Collaboration Opportunities: Co‑development of therapeutic applications,Research collaborations and Industry partnerships.
  1. Contact Information:

Contact Person: : DDr. Manjula S, Scientist, BRIC-RGCB

Email Address: smanjula@rgcb.res.in,techventures@rgcb.res.in

Phone Number: +91-471-2529-451

Website: https://rgcb.res.in/otv/ip-portfolio.php