Highlights on Hevea brasiliensis (pro)hevein proteins.
Hevein, from Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree), was identified in 1960. It is the most abundant soluble protein (22%) found in latex. Hevein is formed from a larger protein called prohevein. The 187 amino-acid prohevein is cleaved into two fragments: the N-terminal 43 amino-acid hevein, a lectin bearing a chitin-binding motif with antifungal properties, and a C-terminal domain (C-ter), which possesses amyloid properties. Hevein-like proteins are also widely represented in the plant kingdom and belong to a larger family related to stress and pathogenic responses. During the last 55 years, these proteins have attracted the interest of numerous specialists from the fields of plant physiology, genetics, molecular and structural biology, and physico-chemistry to allergology. This review highlights various aspects of hevein, prohevein, and C-ter from the point of view of these various fields, and examines their potential roles in latex as well as their beneficial and negative biological effects (e.g. wound sealing and resistance to pathogens which is mediated by agglutination, antimicrobial activity, and/or allergenicity). It covers results and observations from 1960 up to the most recent research.
CNRS, CBMN, UMR 5248, Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, F-33600 Pessac, France; CNRS, LCPO, UMR 5629, Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, F-33600 Pessac, France. Electronic address: kberthelot@enscbp.fr.
Karine
K
Berthelot
CNRS, LCPO, UMR 5629, Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, F-33600 Pessac, France.
Frédéric
F
Peruch
CNRS, CBMN, UMR 5248, Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, F-33600 Pessac, France.
Sophie
S
Lecomte
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D028482:Hevea; D010802:Phylogeny; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012408:Rubber / Q000737:chemistry
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D037121:Plant Lectins; C045875:hevein; D002686:Chitin; D012408:Rubber
Antimicrobial peptides; Hev b 6 latex allergens; Hevein; Natural rubber; Plant amyloids; Prohevein