title: Plant storage proteins with antimicrobial activity: novel insights into plant defense mechanisms.
abstract: Storage proteins perform essential roles in plant survival, acting as molecular reserves important for plant growth and maintenance, as well as being involved in defense mechanisms by virtue of their properties as insecticidal and antimicrobial proteins. These proteins accumulate in storage vacuoles inside plant cells, and, in response to determined signals, they may be used by the different plant tissues in response to pathogen attack. To shed some light on these remarkable proteins with dual functions, storage proteins found in germinative tissues, such as seeds and kernels, and in vegetative tissues, such as tubercles and leaves, are extensively discussed here, along with the related mechanisms of protein expression. Among these proteins, we focus on 2S albumins, Kunitz proteinase inhibitors, plant lectins, glycine-rich proteins, vicilins, patatins, tarins, and ocatins. Finally, the potential use of these molecules in development of drugs to combat human and plant pathogens, contributing to the development of new biotechnology-based medications and products for agribusiness, is also presented.
authors: Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Campus Avançado Asa Norte, SGAN 916 Avenida W5, CEP: 70790-160, Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
authors: Elizabete de Souza
authors: Ede S
authors: Cândido
authors: Michelle Flaviane Soares
authors: MF
authors: Pinto
authors: Patrícia Barbosa
authors: PB
authors: Pelegrini
authors: Thais Bergamin
authors: TB
authors: Lima
authors: Osmar Nascimento
authors: ON
authors: Silva
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Pogue
authors: Maria Fátima
authors: MF
authors: Grossi-de-Sá
authors: Octávio Luiz
authors: OL
authors: Franco
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055808:Drug Discovery; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins