Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
08:39
Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins
Published on: December 24, 2017
A plant-defensin from sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)
Lara Padovan1, Ludovica Segat, Alessandro Tossi
1Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Trieste (Italy). padovan@burlo.trieste.it
Protein and Peptide Letters
|April 10, 2009
Summary
A novel defensin gene was identified and cloned from sugarcane. This plant defensin shows typical structural characteristics and its expression varies in sugarcane, especially when infected.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
Background:
- Defensins are small, cysteine-rich peptides with antimicrobial properties.
- Plant defensins play crucial roles in innate immunity against pathogens.
- Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a vital crop susceptible to various infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize a defensin gene in sugarcane.
- To investigate the structural features of the deduced sugarcane defensin peptide.
- To analyze the expression patterns of the sugarcane defensin gene in response to infection.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of Poaceae defensins and sugarcane expressed sequence tags (ESTs).
- Cloning of the putative defensin gene from sugarcane genomic DNA.
- Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for gene expression analysis.
Main Results:
- A putative defensin gene was successfully identified and cloned from sugarcane.
- The deduced peptide sequence exhibits structural and amino acid composition characteristic of plant defensins.
- RT-PCR confirmed defensin gene expression in sugarcane, with notable differences observed between healthy and infected plants.
Conclusions:
- Sugarcane possesses a unique defensin gene with conserved structural features.
- Defensin gene expression in sugarcane is modulated by infection, suggesting a role in plant defense mechanisms.
- This finding contributes to understanding sugarcane's molecular defense strategies against pathogens.
Related Concept Videos
02:26Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores
Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.
02:22Introduction to Plant Diversity
From Water to Land
02:43Plant Cell Wall
The plant cell wall gives plant cells shape, support, and protection. As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to the cell type. For example, the parenchyma cells of leaves possess only a thin, primary cell wall.Collenchyma and sclerenchyma cells, on the other hand, mainly occur in the outer layers of a plant's stems and leaves. These cells provide the plant with strength and support by either partially thickening their primary cell wall (i.e., collenchyma), or depositing a...
01:07Plant Cell Wall
Plant cells have a cell wall, a rigid outer covering that protects the cell and provides shape and support. During cell division, a mixture of enzymes, proteins, and glucose molecules is transported via vesicles to the center of the cell. These vesicles continuously fuse and build a cell plate between the dividing cells. As the cell plate matures, new polysaccharides are added to it to form the cell walls of the daughter cells. The predominant polysaccharide in the cell wall is cellulose, made...
02:02Responses to Salt Stress
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
02:02Phloem and Sugar Transport
Like many living organisms, plants have tissues that specialize in specific plant functions. For example, shoots are well adapted to rapid growth, while roots are structured to acquire resources efficiently. However, sugar production is primarily restricted to the photosynthetic cells that reside in the leaves of angiosperm plants. Sugar and other resources are transported from photosynthetic tissues to other specialized tissues by a process called translocation.