Recombinant expression and assessment of biological activity of putative polygalacturonase inhibiting-proteins from papaya

• Grant number: 15/12083-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2015
• End date: March 12, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: João Roberto Oliveira do Nascimento
• Grantee: Sabrina Garcia Broetto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07914-8 - FoRC - Food Research Center, AP.CEPID

Abstract

The polygalacturonase inhibiting-proteins (PGIPs) are part of the plant protection system against fungal enzymes responsible for degrading the cell wall. These proteins, which are able to inhibit polygalacturonases (PGs) are present in different tissues varying according to the age and growth phase of the plant. In papaya, which is highly susceptible to fungal infections, new conservation strategies result could benefit from the manipulation of levels PGIPs and knowledge about the degree of specificity of these proteins. Thus, the aim is to obtain recombinant PGIPs of papaya and define their level of specificity opposite the PGs from different fungi that affect this fruit by means of in vitro assays against enzymes that act on culture plates. With these analyzes are expected to confirm the biological function of these genes products as inhibitors of PGs and understand their standard of specificity, which may be helpful in biotechnological studies aiming resistance of the fruit to fungal attack.