Defensive protein

Interferon (IFN) differs from bona fide antiviral diugs since it is a natural defense protein of the host organism and does not directly interfere with the viral replication steps. Interferons are small glycoproteins inducing immune modulatory and antiviral activities. They are secreted by lymphocytes, leukocytes and fibroblasts in response to foreign nucleic acids (dsRNA). 

Grosser N et al (2004) The antioxidant defense protein heme oxygenase 1 is a novel target for statins in endothelial cells. Free Radic Biol Med 37(12) 2064-2071... 

Clayton MN (1988) Evolution and life histories of brown algae. Bot Mar 31 379-387 Connell JH (1961) The influence of interspecific competition and other factors on the distribution of the barnacle Chthamalus stellatus. Ecology 42 710-723 Cronin G, Hay ME (1996) Chemical defenses, protein content, and susceptibility to herbivory of diploid vs. haploid stages of the isomorphic brown alga Dictyota ciliolata (Phaeophyta). Bot Mar 39 395-399... 

Potato type II (Potll) inhibitors are disulfide-rich peptides of approximately 50 amino acids in size. They were first discovered in leaves, seeds, and other organs of Solanaceae and are a source of much interest as plant defense proteins. Recently, Barta et analyzed expressed sequence tag (EST) and genomic data and discovered 11 genes that code for Potll inhibitors in various monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Potll inhibitors are expressed as large precursor proteins that contain up to eight sequence repeats of the inhibitor precursor. In one particularly fascinating case from the ornamental tobacco (N. data), the precursor adopts a circular permuted structure.Barta et al. observed that genes outside the Solanaceae family seem... 

Studies on the Conformational Features of Neomycin-B and its Molecular Recognition by RNA and Bacterial Defense Proteins... 

The ethylene-insensitive plants also showed reduced defense protein synthesis and were susceptible to soil pathogens to which they were normally fully resistant. In connection with the third trophic level, Kahl et al. (2000) found that attack by Manduca caterpillars on wild tobacco plants causes an ethylene burst that suppressed induced nicotine production but stimulated volatile emissions. They argued that the plant chooses to employ an indirect defense (the attraction of natural enemies) rather than a direct defense to which the attacker could adapt (Kahl et al, 2000 Winz and Baldwin, 2001). This implies that the plant is capable of identifying its attacker. We discuss this possibility in more detail in the discussion of specificity. 

A dipeptide Met- , derived from sardine muscle (Matsufuji et ah, 1994), stimulates expression of the antioxidant defense protein HO-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. Previous findings revealed that HO-1 protein expression is accompanied by the induction of a secondary antioxidant protein, ferritin. In a present study, the effect of Met- on the expression of the antioxidant stress proteins, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and ferritin in endothelial cells derived from the human umbilical vein and their contribution to the decrease in radical formation that occurs under the influence of this dipeptide were studied and reported potential activity (Erdmann et ah, 2006). 

This provides potential defensive proteins directed at almost every imaginable invader. It also ensures that every individual has a set of proteins that labels its own cells as "self," and that virtually every individual on earth has cell surface proteins different from those of every other person. In both the innate and adaptive responses the immune system must carefully distinguish "self" from "nonself."36 37 In the innate system this discrimination developed during evolution of the host and its pathogens. In the adaptive system it depends upon interaction of the T cells with surface molecules, primarily those of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). 

Fig. (1). The wound response in tomato plants. Tomato plants respond to wounding with the transcriptional activation and accumulation of Systemic Wound Response Proteins including defense proteins, proteolysis-associated proteins, signaling-associated proteins, and proteins of yet unknown function in plants defense. The change in gene expression can be monitored on SDS-PAGE gels. In comparison to control plants (I), treatment with systemin (II), or overexpression of the prosystemin cDNA (III) leads to the accumulation of SWRPs (arrowheads) and the downregulation of other, unidentified proteins (triangles). The figure was modified after [13].

The environmental stress factors are extremely important in synthesis and accumulation of proteins (enzymatic, structural, signal, metabolism-related, including proteins which protect the organism, for example, defense proteins, known as stress proteins, or pathogen-related proteins, which are allergens—see Chapter 5) (McKersie and Leshem 1994, Yagami 2000). 

This review has succinctly summarized what is presently known of nonprotein and protein protease inhibitors from plants. The affinities of the non-protein inhibitors for particular proteases are generally much lower than those of plant protease inhibitor proteins (PIPs). Nevertheless the non-protein protease inhibitors may provide structure/activity starting points for development of pharmaceutically useful compounds of much higher affinity. The plant PIP literature has been comprehensively surveyed in this review. However electronic databases such as EMBL and SWISSPROT contain further accessible plant PIP sequences [581]. The array of potent plant PIPs reflects the co-evolution of plant defensive proteins and insect resistance [582]. Potent, stable, protease inhibitor proteins have potential transgenic crop agriculture applications as well as potential chemotherapeutic applications. 

Because plants cannot escape from insect injury, many plants protect themselves by producing defense proteins. Protease inhibitors, which protect plants by inhibiting the feed digestion of insects, are well-studied defense proteins. These protease inhibitors are induced in leaves distant from points of injury, indicating that signal substances are involved in systemic resistance induction in plants. 

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