Oldenlandia affinis

Cyclotides have been isolated from many plant tissues, including leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and Recently, the levels of the Mobius-type cyclotide kalata B1 were quantified in various plant tissues of the Rubiaceae family plant Oldenlandia affinis by Seydel and Dornenburg. They found raised levels of kalata B1 in shoot tips and leaves, while flowers and stems contained significantly lower levels of the peptide. 

Cyclotides, circular mini-proteins bearing a cystine knot motif, are produced by plants as part of their defense mechanism. These cyclic proteins are thermostable and were recently shown to disrupt the membrane of human lymphoma cell line HeLa, causing cellular leakage. The combined approach growth- and non-growth-associated pattern provided the accumulation of 370-mg cyclotide kalata Bl/gdw within Oldenlandia affinis cells in culture. " ... 

Jennings, C., West, J., Waine, C., Craik, D., Anderson, M. Biosynthesis and insecticidal properties of plant cydotides the cyclic knotted proteins from Oldenlandia affinis. 

Plan, M.R.R., Goransson, U., Clark, R.J. et al. (2007) The cyclotide fingerprint in Oldenlandia affinis-. Elucidation of chemically modified, linear and novel macrocyclic peptides. Chembiochem A European Journal of Chemical Biology, 8,1001-1011. 

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