Purification and characterization of the antitumor protein from Chinese tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) water-soluble extracts.

A novel antitumor protein, coded as TBWSP31, was isolated from tartary buckwheat water-soluble extracts and purified by DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow anion exchange, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration column chromatography. TBWSP31 was identified to a homogeneous fraction by native PAGE. The antitumor effect of TBWSP31 against human mammary cancer cell Bcap37 was measured by an MTT assay. TBWSP31 showed higher antitumor activity, and time- and concentration-dependent effects were observed. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that TBWSP31 is composed of a single polypeptide with an approximate molecular weight of 57 kDa. TBWSP31 was rich in Glx (Gln+Glu), Arg, and Asx (Asp+Asn) according to amino acid analysis. Secondary structural analysis by CD spectroscopy revealed that TBWSP31 has the following: alpha-helix (33.9%), beta-sheet (22.8%), beta-turn (11.3%), and random coil (32.0%).