Identification of defensin-encoding genes of Picea glauca: characterization of PgD5, a conserved spruce defensin with strong antifungal activity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plant defensins represent a major innate immune protein superfamily that displays strong inhibitory effects on filamentous fungi. The total number of plant defensins in a conifer species is unknown since there are no sequenced conifer genomes published, however the genomes of several angiosperm species provide an insight on the diversity of plant defensins. Here we report the identification of five new defensin-encoding genes from the Picea glauca genome and the characterization of two of their gene products, named PgD5 and endopiceasin.

Results

Screening of a P. glauca EST database with sequences of known plant defensins identified four genes with homology to the known P. glauca defensin PgD1, which were designated PgD2-5. Whereas in the mature PgD2-4 only 7-9 am

SUBMITTER: Picart P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3502332 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature