The structure of "defective in induced resistance" protein of Arabidopsis thaliana, DIR1, reveals a new type of lipid transfer protein.

ABSTRACT: Screening of transfer DNA (tDNA) tagged lines of Arabidopsis thaliana for mutants defective in systemic acquired resistance led to the characterization of dir1-1 (defective in induced resistance [systemic acquired resistance, SAR]) mutant. It has been suggested that the protein encoded by the dir1 gene, i.e., DIR1, is involved in the long distance signaling associated with SAR. DIR1 displays the cysteine signature of lipid transfer proteins, suggesting that the systemic signal could be lipid molecules. However, previous studies have shown that this signature is not sufficient to define a lipid transfer protein, i.e., a protein capable of binding lipids. In this context, the lipid binding properties and the structure of a DIR1-lipid complex were both determined by fluorescence and X-ray dif

SUBMITTER: Lascombe MB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2525531 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature