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Antiviral Substance from Silkworm Faeces: Characterization of Its Antiviral Activity
Author(s) -
Hiraki Akihiro,
Hirayama Etsuko,
Kim Jeman
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2000.tb02548.x
Subject(s) - biology , sendai virus , antiviral protein , feces , virus , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , rna , gene
The antiviral activity of a substance (L4–1) purified from silkworm faeces was examined in an HVJ (Sendai virus)—LLC‐MK2 cell system. Its antiviral effect depended on the period of light irradiation and was inhibited by sodium sulfite and anaerobic conditions. These results indicate that the antiviral activity of L4–1 is associated with active oxygen species produced from the substance. SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis showed that viral proteins were damaged by this substance under light irradiation. The results suggest that the antiviral activity is due to damage to viral protein(s) caused by active oxygen species produced from L4–1.