Identification of a putative azadirachtin-binding complex from Drosophila Kc167 cells

Cell-proliferation in Drosophila Kc167 cells was inhibited by 50% when cell cultures contained 1.7 x 10(-7) M azadirachtin for 48 h (a tertranortriterpenoid from the neem tree Azadirachta indica). Drosophila Kc167 cells exhibited direct nuclear damage within 6-h exposure to azadirachtin (5 x 10(-7) M and above) or within 24 h when lower concentrations were used (1 x 10(-9) M). Fractionation of an extract of Drosophila Kc167 cells combined with ligand overlay technique resulted in the identification of a putative azadirachtin binding complex. Identification of the members of this complex by Peptide Mass Fingerprinting (PMF) and N-terminal sequencing identified heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) as one of its components.