The PcF Toxin Family (Pfam 09461) includes the characterized phytotoxic protein PcF from Phytophthora cactorum, as well as several predicted protein effectors from other Phytophthora species recently identified by comparative genomics. Here we provide first evidence that such 'putatives', recombinantly expressed in bacteria and purified to homogeneity, similarly to PcF, can trigger defense-related responses on tomato, that is leaf withering and phenylalanine ammonia lyase induction, although with various degrees of effectiveness. In addition, structural prediction by computer-aided homology modeling and subsequent structural/functional comparison after rational engineering of the disulfide-structured protein fold by site-directed mutagenesis, highlighted the surface-exposed conserved amino acid stretch SK(E/C)C as a possible structural determinant responsible for the differential phytotoxicity within this family of cognate protein effectors.

Comparative Structural and Functional Characterization of Putative Protein Effectors Belonging to the PcF Toxin Family from Phytophthora spp / Orsomando, Giuseppe; Brunetti, L.; Pucci, K.; Ruggeri, B.; Ruggieri, Silverio. - In: PROTEIN SCIENCE. - ISSN 0961-8368. - STAMPA. - 20:12(2011), pp. 2047-2059. [10.1002/pro.742]

Comparative Structural and Functional Characterization of Putative Protein Effectors Belonging to the PcF Toxin Family from Phytophthora spp.

ORSOMANDO, Giuseppe;RUGGIERI, Silverio
2011-01-01

Abstract

The PcF Toxin Family (Pfam 09461) includes the characterized phytotoxic protein PcF from Phytophthora cactorum, as well as several predicted protein effectors from other Phytophthora species recently identified by comparative genomics. Here we provide first evidence that such 'putatives', recombinantly expressed in bacteria and purified to homogeneity, similarly to PcF, can trigger defense-related responses on tomato, that is leaf withering and phenylalanine ammonia lyase induction, although with various degrees of effectiveness. In addition, structural prediction by computer-aided homology modeling and subsequent structural/functional comparison after rational engineering of the disulfide-structured protein fold by site-directed mutagenesis, highlighted the surface-exposed conserved amino acid stretch SK(E/C)C as a possible structural determinant responsible for the differential phytotoxicity within this family of cognate protein effectors.
2011
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11566/62575
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 5
  • Scopus 15
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 14
social impact