Pathogenesis-related/thaumatin like (PR-5/TL) antifungal protein from basrai banana was purified by using a simple protocol consisting of ammonium sulphate precipitation, affinity chromatography (Affi-gel blue gel), Q-Sepharose chromatography and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. The purified protein with acidic character (pI 6.67) has molecular weight of 21.155 kDa, as determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The purified protein shared N-terminal sequence homology with other TLPs. Crude banana extract inhibited the growth of Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichoderma viride with IC₅₀ values (determined by Probit analysis) 15 μM (slope=0.086, χ(2)=17.843, P=0.033), 17 μM (slope=0.183, χ(2)=61.533, P=0.011), 6.5 μM (slope=0.211, χ(2)=14.380, P=0.023) and 29.11 μM (slope=0.072, χ(2)=45.768, P=0.014). The purified antifungal protein repressed the growth of F. oxysporum, A. niger, A. fumigatus and T. viride with IC₅₀ values 9.7 μM (slope=0.056, χ(2)=11.538, P=0.021), 11.83 μM (slope=0.127, χ(2)=42.82, P=0.00), 4.61 μM (slope=0.150, χ(2)=10.199, P=0.017) and 21.43 μM (slope=0.053, χ(2)=33.693, P=0.00), respectively. The IC50 values of antifungal activity of crude banana extract were higher than the purified antifungal protein. It indicated that proteins in crude banana extract have antagonistic effect on the fungal growth. White bread is particularly vulnerable by fungal pathogens. Purified antifungal protein suppressed the growth of Aspergillus phoenicis and Aspergillus flavus on white bread suggesting that this protein can be used as a preservative in the bakery industry as well as in other relevant food processing industries.

A thaumatin-like protein gene from Basrai banana was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Amplified gene product was cloned into pTZ57R/T vector and subcloned into expression vector pET22b(+) and resulting pET22b-basrai TLP construct was introduced into E. coli BL21. Maximum protein expression was obtained at 0.7 mM IPTG concentration after 6 hours at 37°C. Western blot analysis showed the presence of approximately 20 kDa protein in induced cells. Basrai antifungal TLP was tried as pharmacological agent against fungal disease. Independently Basrai antifungal protein and amphotericin B exhibited their antifungal activity against A. fumigatus; however combined effect of both agents maximized activity against the pathogen. Docking studies were performed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of TLP against A. fumigatus by probing binding pattern of antifungal protein with plasma membrane ergosterol of targeted fungal strain. Ice crystallization primarily damages frozen food items; however addition of antifreeze proteins limits the growth of ice crystal in frozen foods. The potential of Basrai TLP protein, as an antifreezing agent, in controlling the ice crystal formation in frozen yogurt was also studied. The scope of this study ranges from cost effective production of pharmaceutics to antifreezing and food preserving agent as well as other real life applications.