THE ROLE OF PLANT 90-KDA HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS IN PLANT IMMUNITY

CORIGLIANO, M.; CLEMENTE, M.

Heat Shock Proteins and Plants

Springer

Año: 2016; p. 149 - 167

Heatshock proteins of 90 kDa (Hsp90) are present in most of the living organisms.Their main function is to preserve cell viability by participating in theassembly, stabilization, maturation and activation of key signaling proteins.Most of the research on Hsp90 functions was made using mammal and yeast models,which has enable considerable progress in the current knowledge about theircontribution to maintain cell homeostasis. In this trend, it has been shownthat mammal and parasitic Hsp90s may function as immune regulators.Interestingly, recombinant plant Hsp90 is also able to stimulate murine cellsand modulate their immune response, suggesting that common regulatory pathwaysmight be evolutionarily conserved. Although plants and mammals present obviousdifferences in the development of the immune responses against pathogens,several coincidences have been found. Thus, several works demonstrated thatplant Hsp90s has an active role in the activation of the defense mechanismsagainst pathogens, since the lack or deficit of these proteins impair defenseagainst pathogenic bacteria and fungus. This chapter contains an overview ofthe molecular roles played by plant Hsp90s in the defense against pathogens,and ends with an example of how recombinant plant Hsp90s could be used asadjuvant in vaccine formulations.