Isolation of a small chitinase-like antifungal protein from Panax notoginseng (sanchi ginseng) roots

An antifungal protein, with a molecular weight of 15 kDa and an N-terminal sequence analogous to those of chitinases, was first isolated from the Chinese medicinal material Panax notoginseng, using cation exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography. The protein was adsorbed on CM-cellulose, Affi-gel Blue Gel and Mono S. It exerted antifungal activity against Coprinus comatus, Fusarium oxysporum and Mycosphaerella arachidicola but not against Rhizoctonia solani. The protein was devoid of ribonuclease activity against yeast tRNA. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.