Cerato-platanin (CP) is a secretion protein produced by Ceratocystis platani, the causal agent of the plane canker disease, and the first member of one of the most representative families of fungal proteins (Pfam PF07249). CP is a component of the fungal cell wall, and may be considered a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) since it elicits programmed cell-death and various defense responses in the plants. In this work we present the most significant results that our group has achieved in recent years: (1) the 3D structure of CP has been defined; it presents a double--barrel fold similar to those found in expansins, endoglucanases and in the plant defence protein barwin. Interestingly, CP binds oligo-Nacetylglucosamines of various size, and all the residues involved in oligosaccharide binding are conserved among the members of the CP family. (2) The cp gene is highly regulated by various stressors, and its expression is related to fungal growth and/or to chlamydospores production; the analysis of a 1368 bp region upstream of the ATG codon revealed, in addition to a putative TATA box and two putative CCAAT boxes, several motifs related to the regulation of gene expression in response to stress and developmental cues. These results support for CP a role in the fungus similar to that of expansins, proteins involved in the cell wall remodeling. (3) Cerato-platanin interacts with hydrophobic inanimate surfaces and plane leaf blades causing the protein to aggregate; we hypothesize that this is the first step so that CP may act as a PAMP.
Cerato-platanin: determination of the 3D structure, regulation of the gene and plant interaction
BERNARDI, RODOLFO;
2011-01-01
Abstract
Cerato-platanin (CP) is a secretion protein produced by Ceratocystis platani, the causal agent of the plane canker disease, and the first member of one of the most representative families of fungal proteins (Pfam PF07249). CP is a component of the fungal cell wall, and may be considered a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) since it elicits programmed cell-death and various defense responses in the plants. In this work we present the most significant results that our group has achieved in recent years: (1) the 3D structure of CP has been defined; it presents a double--barrel fold similar to those found in expansins, endoglucanases and in the plant defence protein barwin. Interestingly, CP binds oligo-Nacetylglucosamines of various size, and all the residues involved in oligosaccharide binding are conserved among the members of the CP family. (2) The cp gene is highly regulated by various stressors, and its expression is related to fungal growth and/or to chlamydospores production; the analysis of a 1368 bp region upstream of the ATG codon revealed, in addition to a putative TATA box and two putative CCAAT boxes, several motifs related to the regulation of gene expression in response to stress and developmental cues. These results support for CP a role in the fungus similar to that of expansins, proteins involved in the cell wall remodeling. (3) Cerato-platanin interacts with hydrophobic inanimate surfaces and plane leaf blades causing the protein to aggregate; we hypothesize that this is the first step so that CP may act as a PAMP.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
