Subtilases - versatile tools for protein turnover, plant development, and interactions with the environment

Publication Type

Journal contribution (peer reviewed)

Authors

Schaller, A., Stintzi, A., Graff, L.

Year of publication

2012

Published in

Physiologia Plantarum

Band/Volume

145/

Page (from - to)

52-66

Subtilases (SBTs) constitute a large family of serine peptidases. They are
commonly found in Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya, with many more SBTs in plants
as compared to other organisms. The expansion of the SBT family in plants was
accompanied by functional diversification, and novel, plant-specific
physiological roles were acquired in the course of evolution. In addition to
their contribution to general protein turnover, plant SBTs are involved in the
development of seeds and fruits, the manipulation of the cell wall, the
processing of peptide growth factors, epidermal development and pattern
formation, plant responses to their biotic and abiotic environment, and in
programmed cell death. Plant SBTs share many properties with their bacterial and
mammalian homologs, but the adoption of specific roles in plant physiology is
also reflected in the acquisition of unique biochemical and structural features
that distinguish SBTs in plants from those in other organisms. In this article
we provide an overview of the earlier literature on the discovery of the first
SBTs in plants, and highlight recent findings with respect to their
physiological relevance, structure and function.