Characterization and heterologous expression of a PR-1 protein from traps of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes mirabilis

Abstract

Carnivorous plants capture and digest prey to obtain additional nutrients. Therefore, different trapping mechanisms were developed in different species. Plants of the genus Nepenthes possess pitfall-traps filled with a digestive fluid, which is secreted by the plants themselves. This pitcher fluid is composed of various enzymes to digest the captured prey. Besides hydrolytic enzymes, defense-related proteins have been identified in the fluid. The present study describes the identification and heterologous expression of a pathogenesis-related protein, NmPR-1, from pitchers of Nepenthes mirabilis with features that are unusual for PR-1 proteins. In particular, it was proven to be highly glycosylated and, furthermore, it exhibited antibacterial instead of antifungal activities. These properties are probably due to the specific environment of the pitcher fluid.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Carnivorous plants; Glycosylation; Nepenthes; PR-1 protein; Pathogenesis-related proteins; Pitcher fluid; Sf9 insect cell expression.