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PHYTOCYSTATINS AND THEIR TARGET ENZYMES: FROM MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TO PRACTICAL APPLICATION: A REVIEW
Author(s) -
ARAI SOICHI,
MATSUMOTO ICHIRO,
ABE KEIKO
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of food biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-4514
pISSN - 0145-8884
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4514.1998.tb00245.x
Subject(s) - cystatin , biology , cloning (programming) , gene , enzyme , genetically modified crops , transgene , biochemistry , endogeny , molecular cloning , catabolism , intracellular , plant virus , gene expression , genetics , cystatin c , virus , renal function , computer science , programming language
Cystatins are protein inhibitors of cysteine proteinases. Oryzacystatin I (OC‐I) has been cloned and is apparently the first well‐defined cystatin of plant origin (phytocystatin). Besides OC‐I, various other phytocystatins occur in rice, corn, wheat and soybean. Phytocystatins have endogenous target enzymes whose expression is induced by gibberellin, and also exogenous target enzymes from viruses and insects. It is thus likely that phytocystatins are involved in the regulation of intracellular protein catabolism as well as in the defense from infection. Better understanding of this phenomenon and cloning of appropriate genes will facilitate the creation of transgenic crops with enhanced resistance to viruses and insects.