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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Peptide-derived Method to Transport Genes and Proteins Across Cellular and Organellar Barriers in Plants
Published on: December 16, 2016
Shining in the dark: the big world of small peptides in plants
Yan-Zhao Feng1, Qing-Feng Zhu1, Jiao Xue1
1Guangdong Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of South China Modern Biological Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agro-Biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640 China.
Abstract:
Small peptides represent a subset of dark matter in plant proteomes. Through differential expression patterns and modes of action, small peptides act as important regulators of plant growth and development. Over the past 20 years, many small peptides have been identified due to technical advances in genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and chemical biology. In this article, we summarize the classification of plant small peptides and experimental strategies used to identify them as well as their potential use in agronomic breeding. We review the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of small peptides in plants, discuss current problems in small peptide research and highlight future research directions in this field. Our review provides crucial insight into small peptides in plants and will contribute to a better understanding of their potential roles in biotechnology and agriculture.
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