# Proteomic mapping of Rosa damascena nanovesicles reveals plastid mitochondrial metabolic convergence and antimicrobial peptides

**Authors:** Subhashini Brahadeeswaran, Ramasamy Tamizhselvi

PMC · DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2026.2641285 · 2026-03-09

## TL;DR

This study identifies proteins in Rosa damascena nanovesicles that may support cross-kingdom metabolic and immune functions, including potential antimicrobial activity.

## Contribution

The study reveals conserved metabolic pathways and antimicrobial peptides in Rosa damascena nanovesicles with potential cross-kingdom functions.

## Key findings

- RD-NVs contain proteins involved in plastid and mitochondrial metabolism with human orthologs linked to metabolic disorders.
- The nanovesicles carry peptides similar to known antimicrobial peptides, suggesting roles in plant and human defense.
- RD-NVs show biocompatibility and internalization in RAW264.7 macrophages, supporting cross-kingdom interaction potential.

## Abstract

Rosa damascena exhibits diverse biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and skin-protective effects, largely attributed through its rich phytochemical composition. In parallel, plant-derived nanovesicles (PD-NVs) have emerged as natural nanocarriers that transport bioactive cargos capable of modulating recipient cell functions across kingdoms. In this study, Rosa damascena derived nanovesicles (RD-NVs) were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterized by Transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, zeta potential measurement, and SDS-PAGE to confirm their vesicular nature, size distribution, and protein cargo profile. LC‒MS/MS-based proteomics, followed by annotation against NCBI and UniProt, and comparative BLASTP mapping to plant and human proteins, revealed 75 proteins shared with plant, Arabidopsis and human orthologs, which were further analyzed using interaction networks and hub detection together with GO and KEGG enrichment. RD-NVs (size, 40–100 nm; surface charge, −25 to −40 mV) carry proteins involved mainly in plastid transcription, ribosomal function, and photosynthetic electron transport in plants, whereas human mapped orthologs were enriched in oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial function, arginine-proline, taurine, and hypotaurine metabolism, suggesting that RD-NV hub proteins may interfere with metabolic pathways associated with obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, and related inflammatory and neuroinflammatory disorders. Moreover, the peptides of the RD-NVs revealed similarities with multiple reported antimicrobial peptides therefore, might actively participate in plant and human defense system. Overall, this study reveals that the RD-NV proteome contains conserved pathways that may support metabolic and immune-related functions in cross-kingdom contexts. To validate cross-kingdom interaction in vitro, the RD-NVs were treated with the RAW264.7 macrophage which showed significant biocompatibility with a particle range of up to 8.94 × 108 and cellular internalization.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** obesity (MONDO:0011122), fatty liver (MONDO:0004790), type 2 diabetes (MONDO:0005148)
- **Species:** Arabidopsis (taxon 3701), Homo sapiens (taxon 9606), Mus musculus (taxon 10090)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** POLR2B (RNA polymerase II subunit B) [NCBI Gene 5431] {aka POL2RB, RPB2, hRPB140}, MRPS7 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein S7) [NCBI Gene 51081] {aka COXPD34, MRP-S, MRP-S7, RP-S7, RPMS7, S7mt}, rps3 (ribosomal protein S3) [NCBI Gene 844719], psbH (photosystem II protein H) [NCBI Gene 844730], psbD (photosystem II protein D2) [NCBI Gene 844775], CLPP4 (CLP protease P4) [NCBI Gene 834575] {aka CLP protease P4, MFC19.6, MFC19_6, NCLPP4, NUCLEAR-ENCODED CLP PROTEASE P4}, PYCR2 (pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 2) [NCBI Gene 29920] {aka HLD10, P5CR2}, psbB (photosystem II 47 kDa protein) [NCBI Gene 844733], DNAH8 (dynein axonemal heavy chain 8) [NCBI Gene 1769] {aka ATPase, SPGF46, hdhc9}, AT5G59613 (ATP synthase) [NCBI Gene 836081], BCO1 (beta-carotene oxygenase 1) [NCBI Gene 53630] {aka BCDO, BCDO1, BCMO, BCMO1, BCO}, atpI (ATP synthase CF0 A subunit) [NCBI Gene 844787], ATP6V1B2 (ATPase H+ transporting V1 subunit B2) [NCBI Gene 526] {aka ATP6B1B2, ATP6B2, DOOD, HO57, VATB, VPP3}, PYCR1 (pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1) [NCBI Gene 5831] {aka ARCL2B, ARCL3B, P5C, P5CR, PIG45, PP222}, atpB (ATP synthase CF1 beta subunit) [NCBI Gene 844757], rpl16 (ribosomal protein L16) [NCBI Gene 844722], ycf4 (photosystem I assembly protein Ycf4) [NCBI Gene 844752], rpoC1 (RNA polymerase beta' subunit) [NCBI Gene 844784], RPL8 (ribosomal protein L8) [NCBI Gene 6132] {aka L8, uL2}, accD (acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta subunit) [NCBI Gene 844755], RPL23 (ribosomal protein L23) [NCBI Gene 9349] {aka L23, rpL17, uL14}, BCO2 (beta-carotene oxygenase 2) [NCBI Gene 83875] {aka B-DIOX-II, BCDO2}, OAT (ornithine aminotransferase) [NCBI Gene 4942] {aka GACR, HOGA, OATASE, OKT}, ATP6V1A (ATPase H+ transporting V1 subunit A) [NCBI Gene 523] {aka ARCL2D, ATP6A1, ATP6V1A1, DEE93, HO68, IECEE3}, AGXT2 (alanine--glyoxylate aminotransferase 2) [NCBI Gene 64902] {aka AGT2, BAIBA, DAIBAT}, DXR (1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase) [NCBI Gene 836400] {aka 1-DEOXY-D-XYLULOSE 5-PHOSPHATE REDUCTOISOMERASE, 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase, MQB2.90, MQB2_90, PDE129, PIGMENT-DEFECTIVE EMBRYO 129}, MRPS12 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein S12) [NCBI Gene 6183] {aka MPR-S12, MT-RPS12, RPMS12, RPS12, RPSM12, uS12m}, RPE65 (retinoid isomerohydrolase RPE65) [NCBI Gene 6121] {aka BCO3, LCA2, RP20, mRPE65, p63, rd12}, CSAD (cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase) [NCBI Gene 51380] {aka CSADC, CSD, PCAP}, RPS14 (ribosomal protein S14) [NCBI Gene 6208] {aka EMTB, S14, uS11}, CLPP (caseinolytic mitochondrial matrix peptidase proteolytic subunit) [NCBI Gene 8192] {aka DFNB81, PRLTS3}, rbcL (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit) [NCBI Gene 844754], MRPS2 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein S2) [NCBI Gene 51116] {aka CGI-91, COXPD36, MRP-S2, S2mt, uS2m}, ATP6V1B1 (ATPase H+ transporting V1 subunit B1) [NCBI Gene 525] {aka ATP6B1, DRTA2, RTA1B, VATB, VMA2, VPP3}, PDXDC1 (pyridoxal dependent decarboxylase domain containing 1) [NCBI Gene 23042] {aka LP8165}, atpE (ATP synthase CF1 epsilon subunit) [NCBI Gene 844758], ALDH18A1 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 18 family member A1) [NCBI Gene 5832] {aka ADCL3, ARCL3A, GSAS, P5CS, PYCS, SPG9}, POLR1B (RNA polymerase I subunit B) [NCBI Gene 84172] {aka A135, RPA135, RPA2, Rpo1-2, TCS4}, rps12 (ribosomal protein S12) [NCBI Gene 1466250], ARG1 (arginase 1) [NCBI Gene 383], HSD17B6 (hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 6) [NCBI Gene 8630] {aka HSE, RODH, SDR9C6}, ycf3 (photosystem I assembly protein Ycf3) [NCBI Gene 844767], rpoA (RNA polymerase alpha subunit) [NCBI Gene 844727], RPS15 (ribosomal protein S15) [NCBI Gene 6209] {aka RIG, S15, uS19}, BLNK (B cell linker) [NCBI Gene 29760] {aka AGM4, BASH, BLNK-S, LY57, SLP-65, SLP65}, ccsA (cytochrome c biogenesis protein) [NCBI Gene 844769] {aka ycf5}, ARG2 (arginase 2) [NCBI Gene 384], petB (cytochrome b6) [NCBI Gene 844729], psbA (photosystem II protein D1) [NCBI Gene 844802], psbC (photosystem II 44 kDa protein) [NCBI Gene 844773], DDC (dopa decarboxylase) [NCBI Gene 1644] {aka AADC}, atpA (ATP synthase CF1 alpha subunit) [NCBI Gene 844790], PYCR3 (pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 3) [NCBI Gene 65263] {aka PYCRL}, TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157] {aka BCC7, BMFS5, LFS1, P53, TRP53}, MRPS11 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein S11) [NCBI Gene 64963] {aka HCC-2, MRP-S11, S11mt, uS11m}
- **Diseases:** cardiovascular disease (MESH:D002318), Cytotoxicity (MESH:D064420), RD-NVs (MESH:C536408), insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), type 2 diabetes (MESH:D003924), neurodegenerative diseases (MESH:D019636), inflammation (MESH:D007249), cancer (MESH:D009369), inflammatory and neuroinflammatory disorders (MESH:D000090862), fatty liver (MESH:D005234), obesity (MESH:D009765), RD (MESH:D000077733), metabolic disorders (MESH:D008659)
- **Chemicals:** DMEM (-), hypotaurine (MESH:C003949), ornithine (MESH:D009952), retinoic acid (MESH:D014212), proton (MESH:D011522), glycerol (MESH:D005990), phosphotungstic acid (MESH:D010772), urea (MESH:D014508), homocysteine (MESH:D006710), amino acid (MESH:D000596), MTT (MESH:C070243), cyclotides (MESH:D047169), TFA (MESH:D014269), arginine (MESH:D001120), taurine (MESH:D013654), ATP (MESH:D000255), CO2 (MESH:D002245), bicinchoninic acid (MESH:C047117), lipids (MESH:D008055), Vitamin B6 (MESH:D025101), PBS (MESH:D007854), pyridoxal phosphate (MESH:D011732), DMSO (MESH:D004121), ROS (MESH:D017382), proline (MESH:D011392), methanol (MESH:D000432), gold (MESH:D006046), TCEP (MESH:C080938), formic acid (MESH:C030544), AMP (MESH:D000089882), Formazan (MESH:D005562), polysaccharides (MESH:D011134), nitrogen (MESH:D009584), ACN (MESH:C032159), Coomassie Brilliant Blue (MESH:C004692), carbon (MESH:D002244), phospholipids (MESH:D010743), water (MESH:D014867), PD (MESH:D010165), peptides (MESH:D010455), IAA (MESH:D007460), retinoid (MESH:D012176), terpenoid (MESH:D013729), Vitamin A (MESH:D014801), retinal (MESH:D012172), SDS (MESH:D012967), copper (MESH:D003300), glutamate (MESH:D018698), nitric oxide (MESH:D009569)
- **Species:** Arabidopsis thaliana (mouse-ear cress, species) [taxon 3702], Alternaria brassicicola (species) [taxon 29001], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Rhizoctonia solani (species) [taxon 456999], Botrytis cinerea (gray fruit mold, species) [taxon 40559], Capsicum (peppers, genus) [taxon 4071], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Brassica oleracea (wild cabbage, species) [taxon 3712], Citrus (genus) [taxon 2706], Rosa x damascena (damask rose, species) [taxon 3765], Fusarium culmorum (species) [taxon 5516], Zingiber officinale (ginger, species) [taxon 94328], Pelargonium zonale (species) [taxon 4032]
- **Cell lines:** RAW 264.7 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Mouse leukemia, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0493)

## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12977271/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12977271