The family 10 of plant pathogenesis-related proteins: Their structure, regulation, and function in response to biotic and abiotic stresses

The aim of this review is to present the current state of our understanding on the structure, regulation, and function of plant pathogenesis-related protein family 10 (PR-10). This protein family consists of relatively diverse members subgrouped into classes that suggest different functions. It is believed that PR-10 proteins are involved in plant defense because their genes are usually induced upon the attack of various pathogens and by environmental stresses. However, updated evidence shows that PR-10 proteins display several additional functions, including a role in developmental processes and enzymatic activities in secondary metabolism. Because of the complexity of the PR-10 gene family and its potential multiple functions, it is important to summarize current knowledge as basis for a further dissection of the functions of PR-10 proteins and a better understanding of their structural adaptation. This paper provides the first review of existing knowledge of plant PR-10 proteins and examines their structural and functional adaptations. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.