Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/214254

Title

Small cysteine-rich proteins from plants: a rish resource of antimicrobial agents

Author(s)

Bhave, Mrinal;  Methuku, Dinesh Raj

Abstract

Significant research effort has focussed in recent years on identifying natural and environmentally friendly sources of antimicrobial agents, for applications in agriculture as well as human health. This quest has led to identification of a number of small, cysteine-rich, and typically basic proteins which have antibacterial and antifungal activities. These include the non-specific lipid transfer proteins (ns-LTPs), puroindolines (PINs), and thionins. Extensive biochemical studies have shown higher order structures as well as specific residues and/or domains to be important for membrane activities. Numerous in-vitro tests have confirmed their antibacterial and/or antifungal activities, some studies showing variations in their growth inhibitory concentrations or strain specificities. Transgenic transfers of the respective genes into diverse backgrounds have also led to successful in-planta expression and enhanced microbial defence. The ns-LTPs, PINs and thionins thus make excellent candidates as biocontrol agents of plant pathogens.

Publication type

Book chapter

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences

Source

Microbiology book series: Science against microbial pathogens: communicating current research and technological advances / A. Mendez-Vilas (ed.), pp. 1074-1083

Publication year

2011

Keyword(s)

Antimicrobial peptides;  Non-specific lipid transfer proteins;  Puroindolines;  Thionins

Publisher

Formatex Research Center

ISBN

9788493984328, 8493984329

Publisher URL

http://www.formatex.org/microbiology3/chapters2.html

Copyright

Copyright © 2011 FORMATEX.

Peer reviewed