Antimicrobial Proteins: Key Components of Innate Immunity
Bishun Deo Prasad *
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, Bhagalpur - 813210, Bihar, India.
Sangita Sahni
Department of Plant Pathology, Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi, Muzaffarpur- 843121, Bihar, India.
Tushar Ranjan
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, Bhagalpur - 813210, Bihar, India.
Diksha Kumari
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, Bhagalpur - 813210, Bihar, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are the small ubiquitous self-defence products which are extensively distributed in plants. They can be classified into several groups, including thionins, defensins, snakins, lipid transfer proteins, glycine-rich proteins, cyclotides, and hevein-type proteins. AMPs are important mediators of an innate host defence system, with antimicrobial activities against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. AMPs can be extracted and isolated from different plants and plant organs such as stems, roots, seeds, flowers and leaves. They perform various physiological defensive mechanisms to eliminate viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, and so could be used as therapeutic and preservative agents.
Keywords: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), thionins, defensins, knottins, lipid transfer proteins