title: Functional characterization of the Arabidopsis universal stress protein AtUSP with an antifungal activity.
abstract: An antifungal protein, AtUSP protein (At3g53990), was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves by ion and size chromatography and sequenced by N-terminal sequencing. The AtUSP gene amplified from an Arabidopsis leaf cDNA library was transformed to Escherichia coli to express the AtUSP protein. The recombinant protein inhibited the cell growth of various pathogenic fungal strains. The levels of the AtUSP transcripts were increased by various stresses, including pathogenic infection and salt stress. These results suggest that Arabidopsis AtUSP plays a critical role in the plant tolerance to diverse pathogenic infections. The potent antifungal action, which is a new function of AtUSP, was attributed to fungal reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial potential alteration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Ecology, 1210 Geumgang-ro, Maseo-myeon, Seocheon-gun 33657, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Process Engineering R&D Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Yongjae
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Ecology, 1210 Geumgang-ro, Maseo-myeon, Seocheon-gun 33657, Republic of Korea; Division of Applied Life Science (BK21+ Program) and PMBBRC, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Il Ryong
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Ecology, 1210 Geumgang-ro, Maseo-myeon, Seocheon-gun 33657, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Ji
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jmk8856@sunchon.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Mi-Kyeong
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Ecology, 1210 Geumgang-ro, Maseo-myeon, Seocheon-gun 33657, Republic of Korea; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. Electronic address: leejr73@nie.re.kr.
authors.forename: Jung Ro
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; C514559:UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase, Arabidopsis
keywords: Antifungal protein; Arabidopsis; AtUSP; Pathogen