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International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2019Extensive research over several decades in plant light signaling mediated by photoreceptors has identified the molecular mechanisms for how phytochromes regulate... (Review)
Review
Extensive research over several decades in plant light signaling mediated by photoreceptors has identified the molecular mechanisms for how phytochromes regulate photomorphogenic development, which includes degradation of phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) and inactivation of COP1-SPA complexes with the accumulation of master transcription factors for photomorphogenesis, such as HY5. However, the initial biochemical mechanism for the function of phytochromes has not been fully elucidated. Plant phytochromes have long been known as phosphoproteins, and a few protein phosphatases that directly interact with and dephosphorylate phytochromes have been identified. However, there is no report thus far of a protein kinase that acts on phytochromes. On the other hand, plant phytochromes have been suggested as autophosphorylating serine/threonine protein kinases, proposing that the kinase activity might be important for their functions. Indeed, the autophosphorylation of phytochromes has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of plant light signaling. More recently, evidence that phytochromes function as protein kinases in plant light signaling has been provided using phytochrome mutants displaying reduced kinase activities. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the reversible phosphorylation of phytochromes and their functions as protein kinases in plant light signaling.
Topics: Enzyme Activation; Light Signal Transduction; Phosphorylation; Phytochrome; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plant Proteins; Plants; Protein Binding; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; Protein Kinases
PubMed: 31337079
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20143450 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2020Plant defensins form a family of proteins with a broad spectrum of protective activities against fungi, bacteria, and insects. Furthermore, some plant defensins have... (Review)
Review
Plant defensins form a family of proteins with a broad spectrum of protective activities against fungi, bacteria, and insects. Furthermore, some plant defensins have revealed anticancer activity. In general, plant defensins are non-toxic to plant and mammalian cells, and interest in using them for biotechnological and medicinal purposes is growing. Recent studies provided significant insights into the mechanisms of action of plant defensins. In this review, we focus on structural and dynamics aspects and discuss structure-dynamics-function relations of plant defensins.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Defensins; Humans; Models, Molecular; Plant Proteins; Plants; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 32722628
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155307 -
Molecular Plant Pathology Nov 2019Plant virus genome replication and movement is dependent on host resources and factors. However, plants respond to virus infection through several mechanisms, such as... (Review)
Review
Plant virus genome replication and movement is dependent on host resources and factors. However, plants respond to virus infection through several mechanisms, such as autophagy, ubiquitination, mRNA decay and gene silencing, that target viral components. Viral factors work in synchrony with pro-viral host factors during the infection cycle and are targeted by antiviral responses. Accordingly, establishment of virus infection is genetically determined by the availability of the pro-viral factors necessary for genome replication and movement, and by the balance between plant defence and viral suppression of defence responses. Sequential requirement of pro-viral factors and the antagonistic activity of antiviral factors suggest a two-step model to explain plant-virus interactions. At each step of the infection process, host factors with antiviral activity have been identified. Here we review our current understanding of host factors with antiviral activity against plant viruses.
Topics: Antiviral Agents; Genes, Plant; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Plant Proteins; Plant Viruses; Plants
PubMed: 31286679
DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12851 -
Toxins Apr 2024The control of crop diseases caused by fungi remains a major problem and there is a need to find effective fungicides that are environmentally friendly. Plants are an... (Review)
Review
The control of crop diseases caused by fungi remains a major problem and there is a need to find effective fungicides that are environmentally friendly. Plants are an excellent source for this purpose because they have developed defense mechanisms to cope with fungal infections. Among the plant proteins that play a role in defense are ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), enzymes obtained mainly from angiosperms that, in addition to inactivating ribosomes, have been studied as antiviral, fungicidal, and insecticidal proteins. In this review, we summarize and discuss the potential use of RIPs (and other proteins with similar activity) as antifungal agents, with special emphasis on RIP/fungus specificity, possible mechanisms of antifungal action, and the use of RIP genes to obtain fungus-resistant transgenic plants. It also highlights the fact that these proteins also have antiviral and insecticidal activity, which makes them very versatile tools for crop protection.
Topics: Ribosome Inactivating Proteins; Antifungal Agents; Plant Proteins; Fungi; Plant Diseases; Plants, Genetically Modified; Animals; Fungicides, Industrial
PubMed: 38668617
DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040192 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2023Plants are colonized by various fungi with both pathogenic and beneficial lifestyles. One type of colonization strategy is through the secretion of effector proteins... (Review)
Review
Plants are colonized by various fungi with both pathogenic and beneficial lifestyles. One type of colonization strategy is through the secretion of effector proteins that alter the plant's physiology to accommodate the fungus. The oldest plant symbionts, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), may exploit effectors to their benefit. Genome analysis coupled with transcriptomic studies in different AMFs has intensified research on the effector function, evolution, and diversification of AMF. However, of the current 338 predicted effector proteins from the AM fungus , only five have been characterized, of which merely two have been studied in detail to understand which plant proteins they associate with to affect the host physiology. Here, we review the most recent findings in AMF effector research and discuss the techniques used for the functional characterization of effector proteins, from their in silico prediction to their mode of action, with an emphasis on high-throughput approaches for the identification of plant targets of the effectors through which they manipulate their hosts.
Topics: Mycorrhizae; Plants; Plant Proteins; Plant Roots
PubMed: 37298075
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119125 -
Genes Nov 2019E3 ubiquitin ligases are the most expanded components of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). They mediate the recognition of substrates and later transfer the... (Review)
Review
E3 ubiquitin ligases are the most expanded components of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). They mediate the recognition of substrates and later transfer the ubiquitin (Ub) of the system. Really Interesting New Gene (RING) finger proteins characterized by the RING domain, which contains 40-60 residues, are thought to be E3 ubiquitin ligase. RING-finger proteins play significant roles in plant growth, stress resistance, and signal transduction. In this study, we mainly describe the structural characteristics, classifications, and subcellular localizations of RING-finger proteins, as well the physiological processes of RING-finger proteins in plant growth and development. We also summarize the functions of plant RING-finger proteins in plant stress resistance. Finally, further research on plant RING-finger proteins is suggested, thereby establishing a strong foundation for the future study of plant RING-finger proteins.
Topics: Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plant Proteins; RING Finger Domains; Stress, Physiological; Ubiquitin; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
PubMed: 31779262
DOI: 10.3390/genes10120973 -
Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of... Sep 2020The carbohydrate D-glucose is the main source of energy in living organisms. In contrast to animals, as well as most fungi, bacteria, and archaea, plants are capable to... (Review)
Review
The carbohydrate D-glucose is the main source of energy in living organisms. In contrast to animals, as well as most fungi, bacteria, and archaea, plants are capable to synthesize a surplus of sugars characterizing them as autothrophic organisms. Thus, plants are de facto the source of all food on earth, either directly or indirectly via feed to livestock. Glucose is stored as polymeric glucan, in animals as glycogen and in plants as starch. Despite serving a general source for metabolic energy and energy storage, glucose is the main building block for cellulose synthesis and represents the metabolic starting point of carboxylate- and amino acid synthesis. Finally yet importantly, glucose functions as signalling molecule conveying the plant metabolic status for adjustment of growth, development, and survival. Therefore, cell-to-cell and long-distance transport of photoassimilates/sugars throughout the plant body require the fine-tuned activity of sugar transporters facilitating the transport across membranes. The functional plant counterparts of the animal sodium/glucose transporters (SGLTs) are represented by the proton-coupled sugar transport proteins (STPs) of the plant monosaccharide transporter(-like) family (MST). In the framework of this special issue on "Glucose Transporters in Health and Disease," this review gives an overview of the function and structure of plant STPs in comparison to the respective knowledge obtained with the animal Na-coupled glucose transporters (SGLTs).
Topics: Glucose; Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; Phylogeny; Plant Proteins; Plants
PubMed: 32845347
DOI: 10.1007/s00424-020-02449-3 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2021Advancements in high-throughput "Omics" techniques have revolutionized plant molecular biology research [...].
Advancements in high-throughput "Omics" techniques have revolutionized plant molecular biology research [...].
Topics: Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Plant Proteins; Plants; Proteomics
PubMed: 33466599
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020766 -
The New Phytologist Aug 2021Anthocyanins play a variety of adaptive roles in both vegetative tissues and reproductive organs of plants. The broad functionality of these compounds requires... (Review)
Review
Anthocyanins play a variety of adaptive roles in both vegetative tissues and reproductive organs of plants. The broad functionality of these compounds requires sophisticated regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway to allow proper localization, timing, and optimal intensity of pigment deposition. While it is well-established that the committed steps of anthocyanin biosynthesis are activated by a highly conserved MYB-bHLH-WDR (MBW) protein complex in virtually all flowering plants, anthocyanin repression seems to be achieved by a wide variety of protein and small RNA families that function in different tissue types and in response to different developmental, environmental, and hormonal cues. In this review, we survey recent progress in the identification of anthocyanin repressors and the characterization of their molecular mechanisms. We find that these seemingly very different repression modules act through a remarkably similar logic, the so-called 'double-negative logic'. Much of the double-negative regulation of anthocyanin production involves signal-induced degradation or sequestration of the repressors from the MBW protein complex. We discuss the functional and evolutionary advantages of this logic design compared with simple or sequential positive regulation. These advantages provide a plausible explanation as to why plants have evolved so many anthocyanin repressors.
Topics: Anthocyanins; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Plants; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 33864686
DOI: 10.1111/nph.17397 -
Genes & Genetic Systems Jun 2023Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) to proteins are regulatory mechanisms that play a critical role in regulating growth and development. The SUMO system is a rapid... (Review)
Review
Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) to proteins are regulatory mechanisms that play a critical role in regulating growth and development. The SUMO system is a rapid and dynamic PTM system employed by eukaryotic cells. Plant SUMOs are involved in many physiological processes, such as stress responses, regulation of flowering time and defense reactions to pathogen attack. In Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa), eight and seven SUMO genes, respectively, were predicted by sequence analysis. Phylogenetic tree analysis of these SUMOs shows that they are divided into two groups. One consists of SUMOs that contain no SUMO acceptor site and are involved in monoSUMOylation of their target proteins. Rice OsSUMO1 and OsSUMO2 are in this group, and are structurally similar to each other and to Arabidopsis AtSUMO1. The other group is composed of SUMOs in which an acceptor site (ΨKXE/D) occurs inside the SUMO molecule, suggesting their involvement in polySUMOylation. Several studies on the rice SUMOs have been performed independently and reported. Individual names of rice SUMOs are confusing, because a unified nomenclature has not been proposed. This review clarifies the attribution of seven rice SUMOs and unifies the individual SUMO names.
Topics: Plant Proteins; Oryza; Phylogeny; Arabidopsis Proteins; Arabidopsis; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 37150617
DOI: 10.1266/ggs.22-00097