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Chaudhary S, Ali Z, Mahfouz M. Molecular farming for sustainable production of clinical-grade antimicrobial peptides. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:2282-2300. [PMID: 38685599 PMCID: PMC11258990 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as next-generation therapeutics due to their broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant bacterial strains and their ability to eradicate biofilms, modulate immune responses, exert anti-inflammatory effects and improve disease management. They are produced through solid-phase peptide synthesis or in bacterial or yeast cells. Molecular farming, i.e. the production of biologics in plants, offers a low-cost, non-toxic, scalable and simple alternative platform to produce AMPs at a sustainable cost. In this review, we discuss the advantages of molecular farming for producing clinical-grade AMPs, advances in expression and purification systems and the cost advantage for industrial-scale production. We further review how 'green' production is filling the sustainability gap, streamlining patent and regulatory approvals and enabling successful clinical translations that demonstrate the future potential of AMPs produced by molecular farming. Finally, we discuss the regulatory challenges that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of molecular farming-based AMP production for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Chaudhary
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Zahir Ali
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Magdy Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
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2
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Kordi M, Talkhounche PG, Vahedi H, Farrokhi N, Tabarzad M. Heterologous Production of Antimicrobial Peptides: Notes to Consider. Protein J 2024; 43:129-158. [PMID: 38180586 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10174-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Heavy and irresponsible use of antibiotics in the last century has put selection pressure on the microbes to evolve even faster and develop more resilient strains. In the confrontation with such sometimes called "superbugs", the search for new sources of biochemical antibiotics seems to have reached the limit. In the last two decades, bioactive antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are polypeptide chains with less than 100 amino acids, have attracted the attention of many in the control of microbial pathogens, more than the other types of antibiotics. AMPs are groups of components involved in the immune response of many living organisms, and have come to light as new frontiers in fighting with microbes. AMPs are generally produced in minute amounts within organisms; therefore, to address the market, they have to be either produced on a large scale through recombinant DNA technology or to be synthesized via chemical methods. Here, heterologous expression of AMPs within bacterial, fungal, yeast, plants, and insect cells, and points that need to be considered towards their industrialization will be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Kordi
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parnian Ghaedi Talkhounche
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Helia Vahedi
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Naser Farrokhi
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Maryam Tabarzad
- Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Nazarian-Firouzabadi F, Torres MDT, de la Fuente-Nunez C. Recombinant production of antimicrobial peptides in plants. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 71:108296. [PMID: 38042311 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Classical plant breeding methods are limited in their ability to confer disease resistance on plants. However, in recent years, advancements in molecular breeding and biotechnological have provided new approaches to overcome these limitations and protect plants from disease. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute promising agents that may be able to protect against infectious agents. Recently, peptides have been recombinantly produced in plants at scale and low cost. Because AMPs are less likely than conventional antimicrobials to elicit resistance of pathogenic bacteria, they open up exciting new avenues for agricultural applications. Here, we review recent advances in the design and production of bioactive recombinant AMPs that can effectively protect crop plants from diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhad Nazarian-Firouzabadi
- Production Engineering and Plant Genetics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, P.O. Box, 465, Khorramabad, Iran.
| | - Marcelo Der Torossian Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
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4
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Expression strategies for the efficient synthesis of antimicrobial peptides in plastids. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5856. [PMID: 36195597 PMCID: PMC9532397 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33516-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) kill microbes or inhibit their growth and are promising next-generation antibiotics. Harnessing their full potential as antimicrobial agents will require methods for cost-effective large-scale production and purification. Here, we explore the possibility to exploit the high protein synthesis capacity of the chloroplast to produce AMPs in plants. Generating a large series of 29 sets of transplastomic tobacco plants expressing nine different AMPs as fusion proteins, we show that high-level constitutive AMP expression results in deleterious plant phenotypes. However, by utilizing inducible expression and fusions to the cleavable carrier protein SUMO, the cytotoxic effects of AMPs and fused AMPs are alleviated and plants with wild-type-like phenotypes are obtained. Importantly, purified AMP fusion proteins display antimicrobial activity independently of proteolytic removal of the carrier. Our work provides expression strategies for the synthesis of toxic polypeptides in chloroplasts, and establishes transplastomic plants as efficient production platform for antimicrobial peptides.
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Deo S, Turton KL, Kainth T, Kumar A, Wieden HJ. Strategies for improving antimicrobial peptide production. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 59:107968. [PMID: 35489657 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) found in a wide range of animal, insect, and plant species are host defense peptides forming an integral part of their innate immunity. Although the exact mode of action of some AMPs is yet to be deciphered, many exhibit membrane lytic activity or interact with intracellular targets. The ever-growing threat of antibiotic resistance has brought attention to research on AMPs to enhance their clinical use as a therapeutic alternative. AMPs have several advantages over antibiotics such as broad range of antimicrobial activities including anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial, and have not reported to contribute to resistance development. Despite the numerous studies to develop efficient production methods for AMPs, limitations including low yield, degradation, and loss of activity persists in many recombinant approaches. In this review, we outline available approaches for AMP production and various expression systems used to achieve higher yield and quality. In addition, recent advances in recombinant strategies, suitable fusion protein partners, and other molecular engineering strategies for improved AMP production are surveyed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Deo
- Department of Microbiology, Buller building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Kristi L Turton
- Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr. W., Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Tajinder Kainth
- Department of Microbiology, Buller building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Ayush Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Buller building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Hans-Joachim Wieden
- Department of Microbiology, Buller building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
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Carlson E, Stewart K, Baier K, McGuigan L, Culpepper T, Powell W. Pathogen-induced expression of a blight tolerance transgene in American chestnut. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2022; 23:370-382. [PMID: 34841616 PMCID: PMC8828690 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
American chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a susceptible host of the invasive necrotrophic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, which causes chestnut blight disease. The fungal pathogen attacks chestnut stems by invading wounded tissue and secreting oxalate. This process leads to the death of infected host cells and the formation of cankers, eventually girdling stems and killing the tree above the infections. To reduce damage caused by fungal oxalate, American chestnut has been genetically engineered to express a wheat oxalate oxidase (OxO). This enzyme degrades the oxalate produced by the pathogen and confers elevated tolerance to Cryphonectria parasitica infection. We report new lines of transgenic American chestnut that have been developed with the win3.12 inducible promoter from poplar (Populus deltoides) driving OxO expression. This promoter is responsive to both wounding and pathogen infection, with a low level of baseline expression. Targeted expression of OxO to wounded and infected tissue is sought as an alternative to constitutive expression for potential metabolic resource conservation and transgene stability over the long lifetime of a tree and over successive generations of breeding. Transgenic Castanea dentata lines harbouring the win3.12-OxO construct were evaluated for transgene expression patterns and tolerance to chestnut blight infection. OxO transcript levels were low in uninfected plants, but robust infection-induced expression levels were observed, with one transgenic line reaching levels comparable to those of previously characterized CaMV35S-OxO lines. In chestnut blight infection bioassays, win3.12-OxO lines showed elevated disease tolerance similar to blight-resistant Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Carlson
- Department of Environmental BiologySUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Kristen Stewart
- Department of Environmental BiologySUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Kathleen Baier
- Department of Environmental BiologySUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Linda McGuigan
- Department of Environmental BiologySUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Tobi Culpepper
- Department of Environmental BiologySUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - William Powell
- Department of Environmental BiologySUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNew YorkUSA
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Vetrici MA, Yevtushenko DP, Misra S. Overexpression of Douglas-Fir LEAFY COTYLEDON1 ( PmLEC1) in Arabidopsis Induces Embryonic Programs and Embryo-like Structures in the lec1-1 Mutant but Not in Wild Type Plants. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10081526. [PMID: 34451571 PMCID: PMC8397997 DOI: 10.3390/plants10081526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is the most promising method for the quick propagation of desirable plant genotypes. However, application of SE to conifers remains challenging due to our limited knowledge about the genes involved in embryogenesis and the processes that lead to somatic embryo formation. Douglas-fir, an economically important lumber species, possesses a homolog of the angiosperm embryo-regulatory LEC1 gene. In the present study, we analyzed the potential of Douglas-fir PmLEC1 to induce embryonic programs in the vegetative cells of a heterologous host, Arabidopsis thaliana. PmLEC1 complemented the Arabidopsis lec1-1 null mutant and led to a variety of phenotypes ranging from normal morphology to developmental arrest at various stages in the T1 generation. PmLEC1 did not affect the morphology of wild type Arabidopsis T1 plants. More profound results occurred in T2 generations. PmLEC1 expression induced formation of recurrent somatic embryo-like structures in vegetative tissues of the rescued lec1-1 mutant but loss of apical dominance (bushy phenotype) in wild type plants. The activation of embryonic programs in the lec1-1PmLEC1 T2 plants was confirmed by the presence of the embryo-specific transcripts, OLEOSIN and CRUCIFERIN. In contrast, no embryo-like structures, and no OLEOSIN or CRUCIFERIN were observed in PmLEC1-expressing bushy wild type T2 plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana A. Vetrici
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada;
- Centre for Forest Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-403-317-2879
| | - Dmytro P. Yevtushenko
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada;
| | - Santosh Misra
- Centre for Forest Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada;
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Shanmugaraj B, Bulaon CJI, Malla A, Phoolcharoen W. Biotechnological Insights on the Expression and Production of Antimicrobial Peptides in Plants. Molecules 2021; 26:4032. [PMID: 34279372 PMCID: PMC8272150 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26134032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens poses a serious critical threat to global public health and requires immediate action. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of short peptides ubiquitously found in all living forms, including plants, insects, mammals, microorganisms and play a significant role in host innate immune system. These peptides are considered as promising candidates to treat microbial infections due to its distinct advantages over conventional antibiotics. Given their potent broad spectrum of antimicrobial action, several AMPs are currently being evaluated in preclinical/clinical trials. However, large quantities of highly purified AMPs are vital for basic research and clinical settings which is still a major bottleneck hindering its application. This can be overcome by genetic engineering approaches to produce sufficient amount of diverse peptides in heterologous host systems. Recently plants are considered as potential alternatives to conventional protein production systems such as microbial and mammalian platforms due to their unique advantages such as rapidity, scalability and safety. In addition, AMPs can also be utilized for development of novel approaches for plant protection thereby increasing the crop yield. Hence, in order to provide a spotlight for the expression of AMP in plants for both clinical or agricultural use, the present review presents the importance of AMPs and efforts aimed at producing recombinant AMPs in plants for molecular farming and plant protection so far.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Joy I Bulaon
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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9
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Khademi M, Varasteh-Shams M, Nazarian-Firouzabadi F, Ismaili A. New Recombinant Antimicrobial Peptides Confer Resistance to Fungal Pathogens in Tobacco Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:1236. [PMID: 32903611 PMCID: PMC7438598 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have been long known to confer resistance to plant pathogens. In this study, new recombinant peptides constructed from a dermaseptin B1 (DrsB1) peptide fused to a chitin-binding domain (CBD) from Avr4 protein, were used for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco plants. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and western blotting analysis demonstrated the incorporation and expression of transgenes in tobacco genome and transgenic plants, respectively. In vitro experiments with recombinant peptides extracted from transgenic plants demonstrated a significant (P<0.01) inhibitory effect on the growth and development of plant pathogens. The DrsB1-CBD recombinant peptide had the highest antifungal activity against fungal pathogens. The expression of the recombinant peptides greatly protected transgenic plants from Alternaria alternata, Alternaria solani, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium solani fungi, in comparison to Pythium sp. and Pythium aphanidermatum. Expression of new recombinant peptides resulted in a delay in the colonization of fungi and appearance of fungal disease symptoms from 6 days to more than 7 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the structure of the fungal mycelia appeared segmented, cling together, and crushed following the antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptides. Greenhouse bioassay analysis showed that transgenic plants were more resistant to Fusarium and Pythium infections as compared with the control plants. Due to the high antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptides against plant pathogens and novelty of recombinant peptides, this report shows the feasibility of this approach to generate disease resistance transgenic plants.
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Yevtushenko DP, Misra S. Enhancing disease resistance in poplar through modification of its natural defense pathway. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 100:481-494. [PMID: 31073810 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-019-00874-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Modification of the poplar defense pathway through pathogen-induced expression of an amphibian host defense peptide modulates plant innate immunity and confers robust and reliable resistance against a major poplar pathogen, Septoria musiva. Host defense peptides (HDPs), also known as cationic antimicrobial peptides, represent a diverse group of small membrane-active molecules that are part of the innate defense system of their hosts against pathogen invasion. Here we describe a strategy for development of poplar plants with enhanced HDP production and resistance to the commercially significant fungal pathogen Septoria musiva. The naturally occurring linear amphipathic α-helical HDP dermaseptin B1, which has 31 residues and originated from the skin secretion of arboreal frogs, was N-terminally modified (MsrA2) and evaluated in vitro for antifungal activity and phytotoxicity. The MsrA2 peptide inhibited germination of S. musiva conidia at physiologically relevant low micromolar concentrations that were non-toxic to poplar protoplasts. The nucleotide sequence of MsrA2, optimized for expression in plants, was introduced into the commercial hybrid poplar Populus nigra L. × P. maximowiczii A. Henry (NM6) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgene expression was regulated by the pathogen-inducible poplar promoter win3.12T, a part of the poplar innate defense system. Most importantly, the induced accumulation of MsrA2 peptide in poplar leaves was sufficient to confer resistance against S. musiva. The antifungal resistance of plants with high MsrA2 expression and MsrA2 accumulation was strong and reproducible, and without deleterious effects on plant growth and development. These results provide an insight into development of new technologies for engineering durable disease resistance against major pathogens of poplar and other plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro P Yevtushenko
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Santosh Misra
- Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Centre for Forest Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6, Canada
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Shams MV, Nazarian-Firouzabadi F, Ismaili A, Shirzadian-Khorramabad R. Production of a Recombinant Dermaseptin Peptide in Nicotiana tabacum Hairy Roots with Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity. Mol Biotechnol 2019; 61:241-252. [PMID: 30649664 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-019-00153-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Expression of strong antimicrobial peptides in plants is of great interest to combat a wide range of plant pathogens. To bring the Dermaseptin B1 (DrsB1) peptide to the intimate contact of the plant pathogens cell wall surface, the DrsB1 encoding sequence was fused to the C-terminal part of the two copies of the chitin-binding domain (CBD) of the Avr4 effector protein and used for Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation. The expression of the recombinant protein in the tobacco hairy roots (HRs) was confirmed by molecular analysis. Antimicrobial activity analysis of the recombinant protein purified from the transgenic HRs showed that the (CBD)2-DrsB1 recombinant protein had a significant (p < 0.01) antimicrobial effect on the growth of different fungal and bacterial pathogens. The results of this study indicated that the recombinant protein had a higher antifungal activity against chitin-producing Alternaria alternata than Pythium spp. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated that the recombinant protein led to fungal hypha deformation, fragmentation, and agglutination of growing hypha, possibly by dissociating fungal cell wall components. In vitro evidences suggest that the expression of the (CBD)2-DrsB1 recombinant protein in plants by generating transgenic lines is a promising approach to produce disease-resistant plants, resistance to chitin-producing pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Varasteh Shams
- Agronomy and Plant Breeding Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | | | - Ahmad Ismaili
- Agronomy and Plant Breeding Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Reza Shirzadian-Khorramabad
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, 4199613776, Iran
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Herrera Diaz A, Kovacs I, Lindermayr C. Inducible Expression of the De-Novo Designed Antimicrobial Peptide SP1-1 in Tomato Confers Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164097. [PMID: 27706237 PMCID: PMC5051901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides with less than 50 amino acids and are part of the innate immune response in almost all organisms, including bacteria, vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. AMPs are active against a broad-spectrum of pathogens. The inducible expression of AMPs in plants is a promising approach to combat plant pathogens with minimal negative side effects, such as phytotoxicity or infertility. In this study, inducible expression of the de-novo designed AMP SP1-1 in Micro Tom tomato protected tomato fruits against bacterial spot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. The peptide SP1-1 was targeted to the apoplast which is the primary infection site for plant pathogens, by fusing SP1-1 peptide to the signal peptide RsAFP1 of radish (Raphanus sativus). The pathogen inducibility of the expression was enabled by using an optimized inducible 4XW2/4XS promoter. As a result, the tomato fruits of independently generated SP1-1 transgenic lines were significantly more resistant to X. campestris pv. vesicatoria than WT tomato fruits. In transgenic lines, bacterial infection was reduced up to 65% in comparison to the infection of WT plants. Our study demonstrates that the combination of the 4XW2/4XS cis-element from parsley with the synthetic antimicrobial peptide SP1-1 is a good alternative to protect tomato fruits against infections with X. campestris pv. vesicatoria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areli Herrera Diaz
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München–German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, München/Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Izabella Kovacs
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München–German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, München/Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christian Lindermayr
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München–German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, München/Neuherberg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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13
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Antimicrobial peptide production and plant-based expression systems for medical and agricultural biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2015; 33:1005-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Transgenic barley: a prospective tool for biotechnology and agriculture. Biotechnol Adv 2013; 32:137-57. [PMID: 24084493 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2013.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Revised: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 09/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the founder crops of agriculture, and today it is the fourth most important cereal grain worldwide. Barley is used as malt in brewing and distilling industry, as an additive for animal feed, and as a component of various food and bread for human consumption. Progress in stable genetic transformation of barley ensures a potential for improvement of its agronomic performance or use of barley in various biotechnological and industrial applications. Recently, barley grain has been successfully used in molecular farming as a promising bioreactor adapted for production of human therapeutic proteins or animal vaccines. In addition to development of reliable transformation technologies, an extensive amount of various barley genetic resources and tools such as sequence data, microarrays, genetic maps, and databases has been generated. Current status on barley transformation technologies including gene transfer techniques, targets, and progeny stabilization, recent trials for improvement of agricultural traits and performance of barley, especially in relation to increased biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and potential use of barley grain as a protein production platform have been reviewed in this study. Overall, barley represents a promising tool for both agricultural and biotechnological transgenic approaches, and is considered an ancient but rediscovered crop as a model industrial platform for molecular farming.
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Parachin NS, Mulder KC, Viana AAB, Dias SC, Franco OL. Expression systems for heterologous production of antimicrobial peptides. Peptides 2012; 38:446-56. [PMID: 23022589 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2012.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2012] [Revised: 09/16/2012] [Accepted: 09/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) consist of molecules that act on the defense systems of numerous organisms toward multiple pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. These compounds have become extremely significant due to the increasing resistance of microorganisms to common antibiotics. However, the low quantity of peptides obtained from direct purification is, to date, still a remarkable bottleneck for scientific and industrial research development. Therefore, this review describes the main heterologous systems currently used for AMP production, including bacteria, fungi and plants, and also the related strategies for reaching greater functional peptide production. The main difficulties of each system are also described in order to provide some directions for AMP production. In summary, data revised here indicate that large-scale production of AMPs can be obtained using biotechnological tools, and the products may be applied in the pharmaceutical industry as well as in agribusiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nádia Skorupa Parachin
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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Nadal A, Montero M, Company N, Badosa E, Messeguer J, Montesinos L, Montesinos E, Pla M. Constitutive expression of transgenes encoding derivatives of the synthetic antimicrobial peptide BP100: impact on rice host plant fitness. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2012; 12:159. [PMID: 22947243 PMCID: PMC3514116 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-12-159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Biopeptide BP100 is a synthetic and strongly cationic α-helical undecapeptide with high, specific antibacterial activity against economically important plant-pathogenic bacteria, and very low toxicity. It was selected from a library of synthetic peptides, along with other peptides with activities against relevant bacterial and fungal species. Expression of the BP100 series of peptides in plants is of major interest to establish disease-resistant plants and facilitate molecular farming. Specific challenges were the small length, peptide degradation by plant proteases and toxicity to the host plant. Here we approached the expression of the BP100 peptide series in plants using BP100 as a proof-of-concept. RESULTS Our design considered up to three tandemly arranged BP100 units and peptide accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), analyzing five BP100 derivatives. The ER retention sequence did not reduce the antimicrobial activity of chemically synthesized BP100 derivatives, making this strategy possible. Transformation with sequences encoding BP100 derivatives (bp100der) was over ten-fold less efficient than that of the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII) transgene. The BP100 direct tandems did not show higher antimicrobial activity than BP100, and genetically modified (GM) plants constitutively expressing them were not viable. In contrast, inverted repeats of BP100, whether or not elongated with a portion of a natural antimicrobial peptide (AMP), had higher antimicrobial activity, and fertile GM rice lines constitutively expressing bp100der were produced. These GM lines had increased resistance to the pathogens Dickeya chrysanthemi and Fusarium verticillioides, and tolerance to oxidative stress, with agronomic performance comparable to untransformed lines. CONCLUSIONS Constitutive expression of transgenes encoding short cationic α-helical synthetic peptides can have a strong negative impact on rice fitness. However, GM plants expressing, for example, BP100 based on inverted repeats, have adequate agronomic performance and resistant phenotypes as a result of a complex equilibrium between bp100der toxicity to plant cells, antimicrobial activity and transgene-derived plant stress response. It is likely that these results can be extended to other peptides with similar characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nadal
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Montero
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Nuri Company
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Esther Badosa
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Joaquima Messeguer
- Plant Genetics Department, Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Carretera de Cabrils, Km 2, 08348, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Montesinos
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Emilio Montesinos
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
| | - Maria Pla
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology (INTEA), University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, EPS-1 17071, Girona, Spain
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Verma SS, Yajima WR, Rahman MH, Shah S, Liu JJ, Ekramoddoullah AKM, Kav NNV. A cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide from Pinus monticola (PmAMP1) confers resistance to multiple fungal pathogens in canola (Brassica napus). PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2012; 79:61-74. [PMID: 22351159 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-012-9895-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2011] [Accepted: 02/10/2012] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Canola (Brassica napus), an agriculturally important oilseed crop, can be significantly affected by diseases such as sclerotinia stem rot, blackleg, and alternaria black spot resulting in significant loss of crop productivity and quality. Cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides isolated from plants have emerged as a potential resource for protection of plants against phytopathogens. Here we report the significance of an antimicrobial peptide, PmAMP1, isolated from western white pine (Pinus monticola), in providing canola with resistance against multiple phytopathogenic fungi. The cDNA encoding PmAMP1 was successfully incorporated into the genome of B. napus, and it's in planta expression conferred greater protection against Alternaria brassicae, Leptosphaeria maculans and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. In vitro experiments with proteins extracted from transgenic canola expressing Pm-AMP1 demonstrated its inhibitory activity by reducing growth of fungal hyphae. In addition, the in vitro synthesized peptide also inhibited the growth of the fungi. These results demonstrate that generating transgenic crops expressing PmAMP1 may be an effective and versatile method to protect susceptible crops against multiple phytopathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv S Verma
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, 4-10 Agriculture/Forestry Centre, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
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López-García B, San Segundo B, Coca M. Antimicrobial Peptides as a Promising Alternative for Plant Disease Protection. ACS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/bk-2012-1095.ch013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. López-García
- CRAG-Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB), Edificio CRAG, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - B. San Segundo
- CRAG-Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB), Edificio CRAG, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M. Coca
- CRAG-Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB), Edificio CRAG, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Zhou M, Hu Q, Li Z, Li D, Chen CF, Luo H. Expression of a novel antimicrobial peptide Penaeidin4-1 in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) enhances plant fungal disease resistance. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24677. [PMID: 21931807 PMCID: PMC3171467 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2011] [Accepted: 08/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Turfgrass species are agriculturally and economically important perennial crops. Turfgrass species are highly susceptible to a wide range of fungal pathogens. Dollar spot and brown patch, two important diseases caused by fungal pathogens Sclerotinia homoecarpa and Rhizoctonia solani, respectively, are among the most severe turfgrass diseases. Currently, turf fungal disease control mainly relies on fungicide treatments, which raises many concerns for human health and the environment. Antimicrobial peptides found in various organisms play an important role in innate immune response. Methodology/Principal Findings The antimicrobial peptide - Penaeidin4-1 (Pen4-1) from the shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus has been reported to possess in vitro antifungal and antibacterial activities against various economically important fungal and bacterial pathogens. In this study, we have studied the feasibility of using this novel peptide for engineering enhanced disease resistance into creeping bentgrass plants (Agrostis stolonifera L., cv. Penn A-4). Two DNA constructs were prepared containing either the coding sequence of a single peptide, Pen4-1 or the DNA sequence coding for the transit signal peptide of the secreted tobacco AP24 protein translationally fused to the Pen4-1 coding sequence. A maize ubiquitin promoter was used in both constructs to drive gene expression. Transgenic turfgrass plants containing different DNA constructs were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and analyzed for transgene insertion and expression. In replicated in vitro and in vivo experiments under controlled environments, transgenic plants exhibited significantly enhanced resistance to dollar spot and brown patch, the two major fungal diseases in turfgrass. The targeting of Pen4-1 to endoplasmic reticulum by the transit peptide of AP24 protein did not significantly impact disease resistance in transgenic plants. Conclusion/Significance Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of Pen4-1 in a perennial species against fungal pathogens and suggest a potential strategy for engineering broad-spectrum fungal disease resistance in crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Zhou
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Qian Hu
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dayong Li
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Chin-Fu Chen
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Hong Luo
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Che YZ, Li YR, Zou HS, Zou LF, Zhang B, Chen GY. A novel antimicrobial protein for plant protection consisting of a Xanthomonas oryzae harpin and active domains of cecropin A and melittin. Microb Biotechnol 2011; 4:777-93. [PMID: 21895994 PMCID: PMC3815413 DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-7915.2011.00281.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Discoveries about antimicrobial peptides and plant defence activators have made possible the de novo and rational design of novel peptides for use in crop protection. Here we report a novel chimeric protein, Hcm1, which was made by linking the active domains of cecropin A and melittin to the hypersensitive response (HR)‐elicitor Hpa1 of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola, the causal agent of rice bacterial leaf streak. The resulting chimeric protein maintained not only the HR‐inducing property of the harpin, but also the antimicrobial activity of the cecropin A‐melittin hybrid. Hcm1 was purified from engineered Escherichia coli and evaluated in terms of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the 50% effective dose (ED50) against important plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Importantly, the protein acted as a potential pesticide by inducing disease resistance for viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens. This designed drug can be considered as a lead compound for use in plant protection, either for the development of new broad‐spectrum pesticides or for expression in transgenic plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Zhou Che
- Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Monitoring and Management for Plant Diseases and Insects, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Nanjing 210095, China
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Imamura T, Yasuda M, Kusano H, Nakashita H, Ohno Y, Kamakura T, Taguchi S, Shimada H. Acquired resistance to the rice blast in transgenic rice accumulating the antimicrobial peptide thanatin. Transgenic Res 2009; 19:415-24. [PMID: 19784861 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-009-9320-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2008] [Accepted: 08/28/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Thanatin is an antimicrobial peptide with a strong and wide-ranging antimicrobial spectrum, including certain species of fungi and Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. To evaluate the application of thanatin to the generation of disease-resistant plants, we introduced a synthetic thanatin gene into rice. Several transformants that expressed the introduced gene showed significant level of antimicrobial activity. The substances showing antimicrobial activity were partially purified from these transformants and their properties were determined. The molecule with characteristics similar to those of native thanatin on the elution pattern in HPLC analysis had an identical molecular mass to that of native molecule. It should also be noted that the transformant acquired a sufficient level of resistance to the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, presumably due to the repressive activity of thanatin to its initial stage of infection. This result demonstrates that thanatin has antifungal activity for M. oryzae and that the introduction of the thanatin gene into rice is effective in generating a plant resistant to rice blast disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Imamura
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, 278-8510, Japan
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Brotman Y, Makovitzki A, Shai Y, Chet I, Viterbo A. Synthetic ultrashort cationic lipopeptides induce systemic plant defense responses against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Appl Environ Microbiol 2009; 75:5373-9. [PMID: 19542326 PMCID: PMC2725461 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00724-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2009] [Accepted: 06/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A new family of synthetic, membrane-active, ultrashort lipopeptides composed of only four amino acids linked to fatty acids was tested for the ability to induce systemic resistance and defense responses in plants. We found that two peptides wherein the third residue is a d-enantiomer (italic), C16-KKKK and C16-KLLK, can induce medium alkalinization of tobacco suspension-cultured cells and expression of defense-related genes in cucumber and Arabidopsis seedlings. Moreover, these compounds can prime systemic induction of antimicrobial compounds in cucumber leaves similarly to the plant-beneficial fungus Trichoderma asperellum T203 and provide systemic protection against the phytopathogens Botrytis cinerea B05, Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrimans, and P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Thus, short cationic lipopeptides are a new category of compounds with potentially high utility in the induction of systemic resistance in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yariv Brotman
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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Rahnamaeian M, Langen G, Imani J, Khalifa W, Altincicek B, von Wettstein D, Kogel KH, Vilcinskas A. Insect peptide metchnikowin confers on barley a selective capacity for resistance to fungal ascomycetes pathogens. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2009; 60:4105-14. [PMID: 19734262 PMCID: PMC2755027 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erp240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The potential of metchnikowin, a 26-amino acid residue proline-rich antimicrobial peptide synthesized in the fat body of Drosophila melanogaster was explored to engineer disease resistance in barley against devastating fungal plant pathogens. The synthetic peptide caused strong in vitro growth inhibition (IC(50) value approximately 1 muM) of the pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. Transgenic barley expressing the metchnikowin gene in its 52-amino acid pre-pro-peptide form under the control of the inducible mannopine synthase (mas) gene promoter from the T(i) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens displayed enhanced resistance to powdery mildew as well as Fusarium head blight and root rot. In response to these pathogens, metchnikowin accumulated in plant apoplastic space, specifying that the insect signal peptide is functional in monocotyledons. In vitro and in vivo tests revealed that the peptide is markedly effective against fungal pathogens of the phylum Ascomycota but, clearly, less active against Basidiomycota fungi. Importantly, germination of the mutualistic basidiomycete mycorrhizal fungus Piriformospora indica was affected only at concentrations beyond 50 muM. These results suggest that antifungal peptides from insects are a valuable source for crop plant improvements and their differential activities toward different phyla of fungi denote a capacity for insect peptides to be used as selective measures on specific plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Gregor Langen
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jafargholi Imani
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Walaa Khalifa
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Boran Altincicek
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Diter von Wettstein
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, WA 99164-6420, USA
| | - Karl-Heinz Kogel
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail: E-mail:
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail: E-mail:
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Magalhães BS, Melo JAT, Leite JRSA, Silva LP, Prates MV, Vinecky F, Barbosa EA, Verly RM, Mehta A, Nicoli JR, Bemquerer MP, Andrade AC, Bloch C. Post-secretory events alter the peptide content of the skin secretion of Hypsiboas raniceps. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2008; 377:1057-61. [PMID: 18976634 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.10.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2008] [Accepted: 10/16/2008] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A novel family of antimicrobial peptides, named raniseptins, has been characterized from the skin secretion of the anuran Hypsiboas raniceps. Nine cDNA molecules have been successfully cloned, sequenced, and their respective polypeptides were characterized by mass spectrometry and Edman degradation. The encoded precursors share structural similarities with the dermaseptin prepropeptides from the Phyllomedusinae subfamily and the mature 28-29 residue long peptides undergo further proteolytic cleavage in the crude secretion yielding consistent fragments of 14-15 residues. The biological assays performed demonstrated that the Rsp-1 peptide has antimicrobial activity against different bacterial strains without significant lytic effect against human erythrocytes, whereas the peptide fragments generated by endoproteolysis show limited antibiotic potency. MALDI imaging mass spectrometry in situ studies have demonstrated that the mature raniseptin peptides are in fact secreted as intact molecules within a defined glandular domain of the dorsal skin, challenging the physiological role of the observed raniseptin fragments, identified only as part of the crude secretion. In this sense, stored and secreted antimicrobial peptides may confer distinct protective roles to the frog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz S Magalhães
- EMBRAPA Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Parque Estação Biológica, 70700-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil
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Marcos JF, Muñoz A, Pérez-Payá E, Misra S, López-García B. Identification and rational design of novel antimicrobial peptides for plant protection. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2008; 46:273-301. [PMID: 18439131 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.phyto.121307.094843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Peptides and small proteins exhibiting antimicrobial activity have been isolated from many organisms ranging from insects to humans, including plants. Their role in defense is established, and their use in agriculture was already being proposed shortly after their discovery. However, some natural peptides have undesirable properties that complicate their application. Advances in peptide synthesis and high-throughput activity screening have made possible the de novo and rational design of novel peptides with improved properties. This review summarizes findings in the identification and design of short antimicrobial peptides with activity against plant pathogens, and will discuss alternatives for their heterologous production suited to plant disease control. Recent studies suggest that peptide antimicrobial action is not due solely to microbe permeation as previously described, but that more subtle factors might account for the specificity and absence of toxicity of some peptides. The elucidation of the mode of action and interaction with microbes will assist the improvement of peptide design with a view to targeting specific problems in agriculture and providing new tools for plant protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose F Marcos
- Departamento de Ciencia de los Alimentos, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos-CSIC, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.
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