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Functional characterization of germin and germin-like protein genes in various plant species using transgenic approaches

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Abstract

The important role of germins (GER) and genes coding for germin-like proteins (GLP) in responses against various stresses in both homologous and heterologous systems is well validated. This review summarizes the work on their functional validation using various biotechnological approaches. The genes are widely expressed during a specific period of plant growth and development, and exhibit a pattern of evolutionary subfunctionalization at both the intracellular and whole plant level. Their applications against various biotic and abiotic stresses, especially against fungal pathogens, are enormous. Although the validation of these proteins against various stresses has led to the development of commercially and agronomically important transgenic plants, much work is still needed to exploit this ever-expanding repertoire of genes and deploy them for commercial use. Historical progress of genetic engineering in GERs and GLPs is reviewed, and future prospects for their potential role in crop improvement are highlighted.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Beth E. Hazen (USA) for editing and useful suggestions on the manuscript. We acknowledge the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan for providing financial assistance.

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  1. Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Muhammad Ilyas, Awais Rasheed & Tariq Mahmood

  2. Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081, China

    Awais Rasheed

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Ilyas, M., Rasheed, A. & Mahmood, T. Functional characterization of germin and germin-like protein genes in various plant species using transgenic approaches. Biotechnol Lett 38, 1405–1421 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-016-2129-9

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