title: Functional characterization of germin and germin-like protein genes in various plant species using transgenic approaches.
abstract: The important role of germins (GER) and genes coding for germin-like proteins (GLP) in responses against various stresses in both homologous and heterologous systems is well validated. This review summarizes the work on their functional validation using various biotechnological approaches. The genes are widely expressed during a specific period of plant growth and development, and exhibit a pattern of evolutionary subfunctionalization at both the intracellular and whole plant level. Their applications against various biotic and abiotic stresses, especially against fungal pathogens, are enormous. Although the validation of these proteins against various stresses has led to the development of commercially and agronomically important transgenic plants, much work is still needed to exploit this ever-expanding repertoire of genes and deploy them for commercial use. Historical progress of genetic engineering in GERs and GLPs is reviewed, and future prospects for their potential role in crop improvement are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ilyas
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.|Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081, China.
authors.forename: Awais
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rasheed
authors.affiliation: Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan. tmahmood.qau@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mahmood
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C058814:germin
keywords: Abiotic stresses; Biotic stresses; Cupin proteins; Genetic engineering; Germin; Germin-like protein