title: Revisiting the enzymes stored in the laticifers of Carica papaya in the context of their possible participation in the plant defence mechanism.
abstract: In the tropical species Carica papaya, the articulated and anastomosing laticifers form a dense network of vessels displayed in all aerial parts of the plant. Damaging the papaya tree inevitably severs its laticifers, eliciting an abrupt release of latex. Besides the well-known cysteine proteinases, papain, chymopapain, caricain and glycyl endopeptidase, papaya latex is also a rich source of other enzymes. Together, these enzymes could provide an important contribution to plant defence mechanisms by sanitising and sealing the wounded areas on the tree.
authors.affiliation: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Moussaoui
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nijs
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wintjens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vincentelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azarkan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Looze
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010206:Papain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019685:Rosales / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases; C059280:glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase; D006867:Hydrolases; D008049:Lipase; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D010206:Papain