African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12498

Review

Rabbit defensin (NP-1) genetic engineering of plant

Zhou Wen Ting, Hao Ming Ming, Liu Jing, Qian Wen Jing and He Zheng Quan*
Biotechnology Research Center of China Three Gorges University, Yichang Hubei 443002, China.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 10 May 2011
  •  Published: 22 August 2011

Abstract

Defensin is a small, cysteine-rich, cationic peptides family with antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. Among all known defensins, neutrophil peptide-1 (NP-1), which is expressed mainly in rabbit neutrophils, has a broad resistance spectrum to pathogens such as Treponema pallidum, many Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, viruses. Besides, it has the same striking inhibition or toxic effect on some nausea and tumor cells. Due to the broad antibacterial spectrum and special mechanism of microbial inhibition, rabbit defensin has been transformed into some plants and expressed via genetic engineering. And it plays an important role in genetic engineering of anti-disease plants and plants species’ improvement. This article reviewed and discussed the advantages and research progress of the rabbit defensin genetic engineering of plant in recent years, and alsofocuses on the existing problems and new strategies in this area.

 

Key words: Rabbit defensin (NP-1), structure, bioactivity, genetic engineering of plant.