Non-specific lipid transfer proteins in plants: presenting new advances and an integrated functional analysis

Abstract

Plant non-specific lipid-transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are small, basic proteins present in abundance in higher plants. They are involved in key processes of plant cytology, such as the stablization of membranes, cell wall organization, and signal transduction. nsLTPs are also known to play important roles in resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, and in plant growth and development, such as sexual reproduction, seed development and germination. The structures of plant nsLTPs contain an eight-cysteine residue conserved motif, linked by four disulfide bonds, and an internal hydrophobic cavity, which comprises the lipid-binding site. This structure endows stability and increases the ability to bind and/or carry hydrophobic molecules. There is growing interest in nsLTPs, due to their critical roles, resulting in the need for a comprehensive review of their form and function. Relevant topics include: nsLTP structure and biochemical features, their classification, identification, and characterization across species, sub-cellular localization, lipid binding and transfer ability, expression profiling, functionality, and evolution. We present advances, as well as limitations and trends, relating to the different topics of the nsLTP gene family. This review collates a large body of research pertaining to the role of nsLTPs across the plant kingdom, which has been integrated as an in depth functional analysis of this group of proteins as a whole, and their activities across multiple biochemical pathways, based on a large number of reports. This review will enhance our understanding of nsLTP activity in planta, prompting further work and insights into the roles of this multifaceted protein family in plants.

Proteomic analysis of sweet algerian apricot kernels (Prunus armeniaca L.) by combinatorial peptide ligand libraries and LC–MS/MS

“…Beyond the nutrient reservoir function, the observed protein profile includes many GTPases involved in vesicle trafficking, cytoskeletal organisation and signal transduction as recently confirmed in peach by another paper (Falchi, Cipriani, Marrazzo, Nonis, Vizzotto, & Ruperti, 2010). We have identified also phosphatidylinositol binding protein, an important lipid binding proteins, playing roles in the stabilisation of membranes, cell wall organisation, seed development and germination (Liu, Zhang, Lu, Zeng, Li, Fu, et al, 2015). In addition, some methyltransferases were recognised.…”

Genetic analysis of microsatellite markers for salt stress in two contrasting maize parental lines and their RIL population

“…LTPs in maize (ZmLTPs) have critical roles in resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. They provide high salinity resistance with decreasing solute permeability of cell membrane (Liu et al 2015). 63 nsLTP genes identifi ed and differentially expressed under drought, salt and cold stresses were unevenly assigned to ten maize chromosomes by in silico mapping (Wei and Zhong 2014).…”

Purification, biochemical characterization, and antimicrobial activity of a new lipid transfer protein from Coffea canephora seeds

“…LTPs are in general coded by several genes that belong to a multigene family, as demonstrated in Arabidopsis and rice (Liu et al, 2015). The results of immunohistochemistry in seed tissue compared with histochemistry showed that LTPs and lipids were present in the same tissues.…”