Biological effects of oomycetes elicitins

Abstract

Successful plant defence responses to pathogen challenges are based on fast and specific pathogen recognition and plant reaction mechanisms. Elicitins, proteinaceous elicitors secreted by the Phytophthora and Pythium species, were first described in Phytophthora culture filtrates as proteins able to induce a hypersensitive response (HR) and resistance in tobacco at low concentrations. Later, they were classified as microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) able to induce defences in a variety of plant species. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the actual knowledge on the representative elicitins and their structure, perception and activation of plant signalling pathways. The current research of elicitins has been focused on a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the elicitin recognition by plant cells. Moreover, the possibility of elicitin involvement in the establishment and enhancement of plant host resistance to a broad spectrum of pathogens has been intensively studied.

Keywords

• phytophthora
• cryptogein
• infestin
• plant immunity
• resistance
• pathogen