Biotransformation Action Mechanism of Elicitors

The action mechanism of elicitors in biotransformation is not yet clear, but the initial hypothesis has been widely recognized. Specifically, elicitors act as external stimuli and bond to cell membrane receptors in plants, where they are identified and cause a series of reactions in the intracellular membrane, and then the activity and synthesis of secondary metabolite enzymes is regulated, ultimately leading to the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites. The biotransformation action mechanism of elicitors is described in the following  

An elicitor is identified as an external signal to the cell, and can first bind to a cell membrane receptor. Further, the receptor-elicitor complex causes modifications in the membrane composition and permeability so as to cause the changes of the ion distribution. In recentyears, a set of receptors has been confirmed by several researchers. Most cell membrane elicitor receptors are summarized in Table 6.3. The receptor COIl was recently identified as the JA receptor and accorded well with molecular modeling studies.  

An existing enzyme may be activated by an elicitor, or the elicitor may switch on a gene for the mRNA transcription and translation of an enzyme. The translation of mRNA into proteins occurs through a series of events initiation. 

Elicitor Elicitor source Elicitor properties Plant receptors References 

13-Pep Phytophthora soja 13-Amino acid peptide from 42 kDa glycoprotein 19 kDa plasma membrane-bound protein with high binding affinity in parsley cell cultures 38 

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