• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.367-374
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• 2008

The genomes of plants contain more than 600 genes encoding a diverse set of proteases and the subunits of proteasomes. These proteases and proteasomes consist of plant proteolytic systems, which are involved in various cellular metabolic processes. Plant proteolytic systems have been shown to have diverse roles in defense responses, such as execution of the attack on the invading organisms, participation in signaling cascades, and perception of the invaders. In order to provide a framework for illustrating the importance of proteolytic systems in plant defense, characteristics of non-proteasome proteases and the 26S proteasome are summarized. The involvement of caspase-like proteases, saspases, apoplastic proteases, and the 26S proteasome in pathogen defense suggests that plant proteolytic systems are essential for defense and further clarity on the roles of plant proteases in defense is challenging but fundamentally important to understand plant-microbe interactions.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2015

Serine proteases form one of the most important families of enzymes and perform significant functions in a broad range of biological processes, such as intra- and extracellular protein metabolism, digestion, blood coagulation, regulation of development, and fertilization. A number of serine proteases have been identified in parasitic helminths that have putative roles in parasite development and nutrition, host tissues and cell invasion, anticoagulation, and immune evasion. In this review, we described the serine proteases that have been identified in parasitic helminths, including nematodes (Trichinella spiralis, T. pseudospiralis, Trichuris muris, Anisakis simplex, Ascaris suum, Onchocerca volvulus, O. lienalis, Brugia malayi, Ancylostoma caninum, and Steinernema carpocapsae), cestodes (Spirometra mansoni, Echinococcus granulosus, and Schistocephalus solidus), and trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, and Schistosoma mansoni). Moreover, the possible biological functions of these serine proteases in the endogenous biological phenomena of these parasites and in the host-parasite interaction were also discussed.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.197-201
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• 2012

Potyviruses express their RNA genomes through the production of polyproteins that are processed in host cells by three virus-encoded proteases. Soybean plants produce large amounts of protease inhibitors during seed development and in response to wounding that could affect the activities of these proteases. The in vitro activities of two of the proteases of Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) and Tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV) were compared in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate in vitro translation system using synthetic RNA transcripts. Transcripts produced from SMV and TVMV cDNAs that included the P1 and helper component-protease (HC-Pro) coding regions directed synthesis of protein products that were only partially processed. Unprocessed poly-proteins were not detected from transcripts that included all of the P1, HC-Pro, P3 and portions of the cylindrical inclusion protein coding regions of either virus. Addition of soybean trypsin inhibitor to in vitro translation reactions increased the accumulation of the unprocessed polyprotein from TVMV transcripts, but did not alter the patterns of proteins produced from SMV. These experiments suggest that SMV-and TVMV-encoded proteases are differentially sensitive to protease inhibitors.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.327-336
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• 2010

Cysteine proteases have been known as a critical factor in plant defense mechanisms in pineapple, papaya, or wild fig. Papain or ficin is one kind of cysteine proteases that shows toxic effects to herbivorous insects and pathogenic bacteria. However, resistance to bacterial soft rot of plants genetically engineered with cysteine protease has been little examined thus far. We cloned a cysteine protease cDNA from Ananas comosus and introduced the gene into Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The transgene was stably integrated and actively transcribed in transgenic plants. In comparisons with wild-type plants, the $T_2$ and $T_3$ transgenic plants exhibited a significant increase in endo-protease activity in leaves and enhanced resistance to bacterial soft rot. A cDNA microarray analysis revealed that several genes were more abundantly transcribed in the transgenic than in the wild type. These genes encode a glyoxal oxidase, PR-1 protein, PDF1, protein kinase, LTP protein, UBA protein and protease inhibitor. These results suggest an important role for cysteine protease as a signaling regulator in biotic stress signaling pathways, leading to the build-up of defense mechanism to pathogenic bacteria in plants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2006

Enzymatic hydrolysis of silk fibers were investigated for the preparation of soluble silk peptides by ten food-grade proteases from Bacillus, Aspergilius, and plant sources. Silk fibers were dissolved for 1 hr in a 2:1 cosolvent (50% $CaCl_2$: ethanol) by heating at $90^{\circ}C$. The silk solution was filtered to remove Impurity particles and desalted for 50 hours by a dialysis process to remove the used cosolvent. When the silk hydrolysis was performed at $45^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours, most proteases from Bacillus and Aspergillus generated large amounts of insoluble aggregates. On the contrary, proteases from plant sources produced much less aggregates during prolonged incubations and also exhibited high hydrolysis activities. In regards of the solubility and broad molecular sizes of produced silk peptides, Bromelain was finally selected and applied for the enzymatic hydrolysis of silk fibers.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2015

Production of foreign proteins by transgenic plant cell cultures has several advantages such as post-translational modification, low risk of product contamination and low-cost production and purification. However, target proteins are degraded by extracellular proteases existing in the media. A solution to this problem is the use of perfusion culture and ion exchange chromatography for the application of integrated bioprocess using in situ recovery. With this method, production of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) was investigated in this study. First, optimization of cell concentration during the induction phase for the production of hGM-CSF was examined. As cell concentration increased, the level of hGM-CSF was decreased due to the presence of extracellular proteases. Induction using sugarfree media produced 33% more hGM-CSF. The effects of pH on the binding of hGM-CSF to cationic and anionic exchange resins were also investigated. In terms of stability, optimal pH was found to be 5~7. In the case of using buffer exchange when CM-Sepharose was used as a cationic exchange resin, optimal pH for binding was 4.8 and adsorption yield was 77%. When DEAE-Sepharose was used as an anionic exchange resin, it was 5.5 (74%). Without buffer exchange, optimal pH was 4.6 (84%). From these results, an integrated bioprocess using in situ recovery with simultaneous production and separation of foreign protein in transgenic plant cell suspension cultures was found to be feasible.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.759-771
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• 2023

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are naturally occurring bacteria that intensively colonize plant roots and are crucial in promoting the crop growth. These beneficial microorganisms have garnered considerable attention as potential bio-inoculants for sustainable agriculture. PGPR directly interacts with plants by providing essential nutrients through nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization and accelerating the accessibility of other trace elements such as Cu, Zn, and Fe. Additionally, they produce plant growth-promoting phytohormones, such as indole acetic acids (IAA), indole butyric acids (IBA), gibberellins, and cytokinins.PGPR interacts with plants indirectly by protecting them from diseases and infections by producing antibiotics, siderophores, hydrogen cyanide, and fungal cell wall-degrading enzymes such as glucanases, chitinases, and proteases. Furthermore, PGPR protects plants against abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity by producing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase and modulating plant stress markers. Bacteria belonging to genera such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Pantoa, and Enterobacter exhibit multiple plant growth-promoting traits, that can enhance plant growth directly, indirectly, or through synergetic effects. This comprehensive review emphasizes how PGPR influences plant growth promotion and presents promising prospects for its application in sustainable agriculture.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.69-73
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• 1999

In plants as well as in other multicellular organisms, programmed cell death plays essential roles in the abortion or formation of specific cells and tissues during development to organize the plant [11, 15, 18]. A typical example of developmentally programmed cell death in plants is the death during differentiation of tracheary elements which are components of vessels and tracheids, a water-conducting system. The programming of cell death during tracheary element differentiation has been revealed to be unique to plant cells by using the in vitro Zinnia mesophyll cell culture system. In particular, new biosynthesis of autolysis-related enzymes such as cysteine proteases and nucleases, their accumulation of the vacuole and the programmed collapse of the vacuole are essential to the death of tracheary elements and differ greatly from the process of the apoptotic cell death in animals.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3975-3978
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• 2013

Background: Proteases play a regulatory role in a variety of pathologies including cancer, pancreatitis, thromboembolic disorders, viral infections and many others. One of the possible strategies to combat these pathologies seems to be the use of protease inhibitors. LC-pi I, II, III and IV (Lavatera cashmerian-protease inhibitors) have been found in vitro to strongly inhibit trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase, proteases contributing to tumour invasion and metastasis, indicated possible anticancer effects. The purpose of this study was to check in vitro anticancer activity of these four inhibitors on human lung cancer cell lines. Material and Methods: In order to assess whether these inhibitors induced in vitro cytoxicity, SRB assay was conducted with THP-1 (leukemia), NCIH322 (lung) and Colo205, HCT-116 (colon) lines. Results: LC-pi I significantly inhibited the cell proliferation of all cells tested and also LC-pi II was active in all except HCT-116. Inhibition of cell growth by LC-pi III and IV was negligible. $IC_{50}$ values of LC-pi I and II for NCIH322, were less compared to other cell lines suggesting that lung cancer cells are more inhibited. Conclusion: These investigations might point to future preventive as well as curative solutions using plant protease inhibitors for various cancers, especially in the lung, hence warranting their further investigation.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2015

Antimicrobial cyclic peptides derived from microbes bind stably with target sites, have a tolerance to hydrolysis by proteases, and a favorable degradability under field conditions, which make them an attractive proposition for use as agricultural fungicides. Antimicrobial cyclic peptides are classified according to the types of bonds within the ring structure; homodetic, heterodetic, and complex cyclic peptides, which in turn reflect diverse physicochemical features. Most antimicrobial cyclic peptides affect the integrity of the cell envelope. This is achieved through direct interaction with the cell membrane or disturbance of the cell wall and membrane component biosynthesis such as chitin, glucan, and sphingolipid. These are specific and selective targets providing reliable activity and safety for non-target organisms. Synthetic cyclic peptides produced through combinatorial chemistry offer an alternative approach to develop antimicrobials for agricultural uses. Those synthesized so far have been studied for antibacterial activity, however, the recent advancements in powerful technologies now promise to provide novel antimicrobial cyclic peptides that are yet to be discovered from natural resources.