Plant signalling peptides

Abstract

A b s t r a c tBiochemical and genetic studies have identified peptides that play crucial roles in plant growth and development, including defence mechanisms in response to wounding by pests, the control of cell division and expansion, and pollen self-incompatibility. The first two signalling peptides to be described in plants were tomato systemin and phytosulfokine (PSK). There is also biochemical evidence that natriuretic peptide-like molecules, immunologically-related to those found in animals, may exist in plants. Another example of signalling peptide is ENOD40, a product of a gene, which became active early in the root nodulation process following Rhizobium infection of legumes. Other predicted bioactive peptides or oligopeptides have been identified by means of genetic, rather then biochemical methods. The Arabidopsis CLAVATA3 protein is required for the correct organization of the shoot apical meristem and the pollen S determinant S-locus cysteine-rich protein (SCR also called S-locus protein 11, SP11).The plant signalling peptides discovered so far are involved in various processes and play an important role in communication between cells or organs, respectively. This review will focus on these peptides and their role in intercellular signalling.

Developing a model of plant hormone interactions

“…Hence peptide hormones are involved in various biological processes, regulating growth, development, reproduction and defense responses of plants. [4][5][6]60,62,63 Conserved domains of peptide hormones are found between animals and plants, indicating evolutionary parallels occurred in both kingdoms. However, receptors for peptide signaling molecules that have so far been identified are significantly different.…”

Gametophyte interaction and sexual reproduction: how plants make a zygote

“…A small peptide, phytosulfokine-α, was shown to promote pollen germination cultured at low density (Chen et al, 2000). Phytosulfokine makes part of a small group of peptides known to have a role in cell-cell communication via receptors (Matsubayashi et al, 2001;Wisniewska et al, 2003).…”

“…Evidence in vivo is still lacking, but the indication that an AtNOS1 mutant shows fertility defects (Guo et al, 2003) looks promising for a role of NO in pollen tube guidance or female fertility (Feijó et al, 2004). The emerging role for a set of small peptides on plant signaling, some of them with chemotropic properties make them likely candidates, which may provide the specificity required for this mechanism (Chen et al, 2000;Matsubayashi et al, 2001;Lindsey et al, 2002;Kim et al, 2003;Wisniewska et al, 2003). In maize, the EGG APPARATUS 1 was just recently described and specifically fulfills these criteria (Marton et al, 2005).…”

The effect of conditioned medium obtained from Scenedesmus subspicatus on suspension culture of Silene vulgaris (Caryophyllaceae)

“…Attempts have been made to characterize the conditioning molecules of different origin, but despite numerous investigations the structure of such factors have not been totally elucidated (Bellincampi and Morpurgo 1987;Schröder et al 1989;Aldington et al 1991;Teasdale and Richards 1991). Detailed investigations suggest that conditioning factors may be of oligosaccharide or peptide origin (Schröder and Knoop 1995;Wiśniewska et al 2003;Grabski and Tukaj 2008). Until now conditioning signalling factor was isolated and identified as phytosulfokine-a by Matsubayashi and Sakagami (1996), and its activity in the stimulation of cell proliferation was confirmed afterwards (Matsubayashi et al 1997).…”