Plant Defense Elicitation by the Hydrophobin Cerato-Ulmin and Correlation with Its Structural Features.
Int J Mol Sci
; 24(3)2023 Jan 23.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36768573
ABSTRACT
Cerato-ulmin (CU) is a 75-amino-acid-long protein that belongs to the hydrophobin family. It self-assembles at hydrophobic-hydrophilic interfaces, forming films that reverse the wettability properties of the bound surface a capability that may confer selective advantages to the fungus in colonizing and infecting elm trees. Here, we show for the first time that CU can elicit a defense reaction (induction of phytoalexin synthesis and ROS production) in non-host plants (Arabidopsis) and exerts its eliciting capacity more efficiently when in its soluble monomeric form. We identified two hydrophobic clusters on the protein's loops endowed with dynamical and physical properties compatible with the possibility of reversibly interconverting between a disordered conformation and a ß-strand-rich conformation when interacting with hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces. We propose that the plasticity of those loops may be part of the molecular mechanism that governs the protein defense elicitation capability.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Plumbaginaceae
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Mol Sci
Year:
2023
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy