Pathogenesis-related proteins and peptides as promising tools for engineering plants with multiple stress tolerance

• Published in: Microbiological research Vol. 212-213; pp. 29 - 37
• Main Authors: Ali, Sajad, Ganai, Bashir Ahmad, Kamili, Azra N, Bhat, Ajaz Ali, Mir, Zahoor Ahmad, Bhat, Javaid Akhter, Tyagi, Anshika, Islam, Sheikh Tajamul, Mushtaq, Muntazir, Yadav, Prashant, Rawat, Sandhya, Grover, Anita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Anti-Infective Agents - metabolism; Antifungal Agents; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - genetics; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Cyclopentanes - metabolism; Disease Resistance - genetics; Effector-triggered immunity; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Immunity, Innate; Jasmonic acid; Oxylipins - metabolism; Pathogenesis related proteins; Pattern-triggered immunity; Peptides - genetics; Peptides - metabolism; Plant Development; Plant Diseases; Plant Immunity; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - immunology; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Proteins - pharmacology; Plant Proteins - physiology; Plants, Genetically Modified - enzymology; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - immunology; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Salicylic acid; Salicylic Acid - metabolism; Stress, Physiological - genetics; Systemic acquired resistance; Effector-triggered immunity; Pathogenesis related proteins; Systemic acquired resistance; Salicylic acid; Pattern-triggered immunity; Jasmonic acid
• ISSN: 0944-5013; 1618-0623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2018.04.008

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a group of diverse molecules that are induced by phytopathogens as well as defense related signaling molecules. They are the key components of plant innate immune system especially systemic acquired resistance (SAR), and are widely used as diagnostic molecular markers of defense signaling pathways. Although, PR proteins and peptides have been isolated much before but their biological function remains largely enigmatic despite the availability of new scientific tools. The earlier studies have demonstrated that PR genes provide enhanced resistance against both biotic and abiotic stresses, which make them one of the most promising candidates for developing multiple stress tolerant crop varieties. In this regard, plant genetic engineering technology is widely accepted as one of the most fascinating approach to develop the disease resistant transgenic crops using different antimicrobial genes like PR genes. Overexpression of PR genes (chitinase, glucanase, thaumatin, defensin and thionin) individually or in combination have greatly uplifted the level of defense response in plants against a wide range of pathogens. However, the detailed knowledge of signaling pathways that regulates the expression of these versatile proteins is critical for improving crop plants to multiple stresses, which is the future theme of plant stress biology. Hence, this review provides an overall overview on the PR proteins like their classification, role in multiple stresses (biotic and abiotic) as well as in various plant defense signaling cascades. We also highlight the success and snags of transgenic plants expressing PR proteins and peptides.