title: C-terminal domain of a hevein-like protein from Wasabia japonica has potent antimicrobial activity.
abstract: An antimicrobial protein, designated WjAMP-1, was purified from leaves of Wasabia japonica L. WjAMP-1 showed antimicrobial activity against both fungi and bacteria. The deduced amino acid sequence of cDNA of WjAMP-1 showed 60% and 70% identity with a hevein from Hevea brasiliansis and a hevein-like protein from Arabidopsis thaliana, respectively. However, matured WjAMP-1 lacked the hevein domain and may correspond to the C-terminal domain of hevein. Southern blot analysis showed that one or two copies of the WjAMP-1 gene were presented in the genome of wasabi. Expression of WjAMP-1 was detected in all organs tested, and was especially strong in petioles. Expression of WjAMP-1 was induced by the inoculation with fungal pathogens and treatment with methyl jasmonate. Recombinant WjAMP-1 expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana using potato virus X vector also inhibited not only growth of fungi but also bacteria. These results suggest that WjAMP-1 may be the C-terminal domain of hevein and one of the defense gene in W. japonica. WjAMP-1 gene may be useful genes to generate resistant plants against fungal and bacterial pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, Kitakami, Iwate, 024-0003 Japan. akiba@cc.kochi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kiba
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishihara
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omiya
authors.forename: Saburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamura
mesh_terms: D000528:Alternaria / Q000187:drug effects; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001483:Base Sequence; D020171:Botrytis / Q000187:drug effects; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D020082:Magnaporthe / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D031228:Wasabia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D037121:Plant Lectins; C045875:hevein