title: The superfamily of thaumatin-like proteins: its origin, evolution, and expression towards biological function.
abstract: Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) are the products of a large, highly complex gene family involved in host defence and a wide range of developmental processes in fungi, plants, and animals. Despite their dramatic diversification in organisms, TLPs appear to have originated in early eukaryotes and share a well-defined TLP domain. Nonetheless, determination of the roles of individual members of the TLP superfamily remains largely undone. This review summarizes recent advances made in elucidating the varied TLP activities related to host resistance to pathogens and other physiological processes. Also discussed is the current state of knowledge on the origins and types of TLPs, regulation of gene expression, and potential biotechnological applications for TLPs.
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada. Jun-Jun.Liu@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
authors.forename: Jun-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sturrock
authors.forename: Abul K M
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ekramoddoullah
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; C003427:thaumatin protein, plant