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Plant Antimicrobial Peptides: Next-Generation Bioactive Molecules for Plant Protection

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Phyto-Microbiome in Stress Regulation

Part of the book series: Environmental and Microbial Biotechnology ((EMB))

Abstract

Plants are under constant attack by diverse groups of pathogenic microorganisms but are able to survive and thrive harmoniously with these organisms. To accomplish this, they produce bioactive molecules called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitutively or after receiving chemical cues and downstream processing of the signals. The AMPs are low-molecular-weight molecules with broad-spectrum activity and less cytotoxicity affecting not only pathogenic microbes but also neoplastic cells. They play an important role in the innate immunity of plants. Studies have shown that heterologous expression of AMPs in plants conferred disease resistance. In this chapter we have discussed two major families of plant AMPs, elaborating their mode of action and their use in plant protection. We have also highlighted the plant-based expression systems for AMPs in brief and addressed its application in agriculture and therapeutic purposes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Paomipem Phazang

  2. University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India

    Neelam Prabha Negi

  3. Department of Botany, Central University of Jammu, Jammu, India

    Meenakshi Raina & Deepak Kumar

Authors
  1. Paomipem Phazang
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  2. Neelam Prabha Negi
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  3. Meenakshi Raina
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  4. Deepak Kumar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deepak Kumar .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

    Manoj Kumar

  2. Swami Rama Himalayan University, Himalayan School of Biosciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

    Vivek Kumar

  3. Department of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India

    Ram Prasad

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Phazang, P., Negi, N.P., Raina, M., Kumar, D. (2020). Plant Antimicrobial Peptides: Next-Generation Bioactive Molecules for Plant Protection. In: Kumar, M., Kumar, V., Prasad, R. (eds) Phyto-Microbiome in Stress Regulation. Environmental and Microbial Biotechnology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2576-6_14

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