Cyclotide discovery in Gentianales revisited--identification and characterization of cyclic cystine-knot peptides and their phylogenetic distribution in Rubiaceae plants.

ABSTRACT: Cyclotides are a unique class of ribosomally synthesized cysteine-rich miniproteins characterized by a head-to-tail cyclized backbone and three conserved disulfide-bonds in a knotted arrangement. Originally they were discovered in the coffee-family plant Oldenlandia affinis (Rubiaceae) and have since been identified in several species of the violet, cucurbit, pea, potato, and grass families. However, the identification of novel cyclotide-containing plant species still is a major challenge due to the lack of a rapid and accurate analytical workflow in particular for large sampling numbers. As a consequence, their phylogeny in the plant kingdom remains unclear. To gain further insight into the distribution and evolution of plant cyclotides, we analyzed ∼300 species of >40 different families,

SUBMITTER: Koehbach J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3816352 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature