Plant Science 160 (2000) 177 – 178
Book review
www.elsevier.com/locate/plantsci
Pathogenesis-Related Proteins in Plants, Edited by Swapan K. Datta and Subbaratnam Muthukrish-nan, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1999, approx. 290 pp., hardcover. ISBN 0-8493-0697-3; approx. 120 Euro
The interaction of plants with pathogenic or-ganisms has been one important focus of plant science research in the recent years. Extensive studies of many plant-pathogen systems has shown that plants utilise a large arsenal of defence mechanisms to protect themselves against micro-bial invaders and the biochemical responses in-clude the synthesis of a diverse set of proteins which in the absence of a known function were termed ‘pathogenesis-related’ (PR) proteins. Since their discovery nearly 30 years ago in tobacco plants reacting hypersensitively to infection by to-bacco mosaic virus, corresponding proteins were isolated and characterised from numerous plants. The identification of a defensive function for two of these proteins, namely chitinase and b -1,3-glu-canase, has presumably contributed to the inten-sified and extended research in this field and the recognition that PR proteins are ubiquitous amongst plant species. The historic perspective together with a general account of occurrence and properties of PR proteins is presented in Chapter 1 by L.C. van Loon, the undisputed authority of the field, who not only was the first to identify the PR proteins, but also deserves recognition for his ini-tiative and continuous effort to structure and clas-sify the ever increasing number of divergent PR proteins.
The subsequent chapters describe in great detail the properties of the different families of PR proteins, such as PR-1 proteins, the biological function of which is still enigmatic, b -1,3-glu-canases (PR-2), plant chitinases which are repre-sented by several families (PR-3, PR-4, PR-8, PR-11). thaumatin-like proteins (PR-5),
proteinase-inhibitors 6), and peroxidases (PR-9). In the second half of the book additional plant defense responses are described some of which are now assigned to novel PR protein families, such as defensins (PR-12) and thionins (PR-13), whereas the selection of others (hydroxyproline-rich glyco-proteins, ribosome inactivating proteins) appears somewhat arbitrary and alternative or additional defense responses could also have been chosen for presentation. Each chapter is written by authori-ties of the respective field who contributed signifi-cantly to the present knowledge by their own research and thus provide firsthand summaries. In general, they all cover a similar range of topics, including protein structure, occurrence, possible function, modes and patterns of expression, and the contribution to host defense. However, not surprising for a multi-author book, considerable variation on the theme is provided, some presenta-tions emphasise the biochemical perspective (e.g. Chapter 4 on chitinases) others also highlight the developmental aspects of PR proteins (e.g. Chap-ter 3 on b-1,3-glucanases), yet others include phy-logenetic (e.g. Chapter 8 on peroxidases) or cell biological considerations (e.g. Chapter 5 on thau-matin-like proteins). The chapters on PR-1 proteins and b-1,3-glucanases are those that also comprise more extensive sections on transcrip-tional regulation of gene expression, in particular the function of cis-acting elements and trans -act-ing factors. In this context it needs to be men-tioned that two families of PR proteins are not represented in the book, PR-7 (endoproteinase) and PR-10 (‘ribonuclease-like’ proteins for which parsley PR-1 and 2 are representatives). While coverage of the PR-7 family appears dispensable because only very few members have been iden-tified and studied to some extent, the exclusion of the PR-10 family is more than unfortunate and a great loss to the book and its potential readers because with this gene family the most
Book re6iew
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sive and in-depth studies on gene regulation, cis -acting element and trans-acting factors have been performed.
In addition to the chapters describing the spe-cific families of PR proteins, the book also con-tains two general chapters, one entitled ‘Signal Transduction and Pathogen-Induced PR-Protein Gene Expression’ (Chapter 9), the other ‘Expres-sion and Function of PR-Proteins Genes in Trans-genic Plants’ (Chapter 13). Both provide useful and concise information despite the fact that it is partially redundant with that supplied in the spe-cific chapters.
In summary, the book provides excellent, bal-anced and profound reviews on the diverse families of PR proteins. It timely summarises a field that rapidly developed over the past decade.
For a larger, multi-author piece of work, the book is refreshingly up to date although the most recent developments, including the definition of new PR protein families, could not be incorporated. Nonetheless, scientists working in the field and advanced students wishing to learn more about structure, function and application of PR proteins will find this book a very valuable guide and source of reference.
31 July 2160 Erich Kombrink
Max-Planck-Institut fu¨r Zu¨chtungsforschung,
Abteilung Biochemie,
Carl-6on-Linne´-Weg 10,
50829 Cologne,
Germany
E-mail: kombrink@mpiz-koeln.mpg.de
