PR1B1 (Pathogenesis-related leaf protein 6 / P6 / P14 / P14a; UniProt P04284) is the canonical tomato PR-1 protein and the founding member of the CAP/SCP superfamily (cysteine-rich secretory protein, antigen 5, pathogenesis-related 1). It is a small (~15 kDa mature) secreted, cysteine-rich protein consisting of an N-terminal signal peptide, a single CAP/SCP domain stabilized by three disulfide bonds, and an extended C-terminus. PR1B1 is one of the most strongly pathogen-inducible proteins of tomato leaves and the textbook molecular marker of salicylic-acid-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Its transcription is induced locally by pathogen attack (e.g. the fungus Cladosporium fulvum, tobacco mosaic virus during the hypersensitive response) and by salicylic acid and ethylene. Beyond serving as a defense marker, PR1B1 is a genuine defense participant: it is a secreted apoplastic protein with direct (modest, isoform-variable) antimicrobial/antioomycete activity, and the CAP superfamily acts mechanistically through sterol binding and sequestration of sterol away from sterol-auxotrophic pathogens such as Phytophthora. PR1B1 is additionally the proprotein precursor of the C-terminal immune-signalling peptide CAPE1, a damage-associated molecular pattern that activates SA/JA-dependent defense gene expression and pathogen resistance. Its NMR structure (PDB 1CFE) defined the alpha-beta-alpha sandwich CAP fold.
| GO Term | Evidence | Action | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GO:0031640
killing of cells of another organism
|
IEA
GO_REF:0000043 |
MARK AS OVER ANNOTATED |
Summary: SPKW (GO_REF:0000043) annotation derived from the UniProt "Antimicrobial" and "Fungicide" keywords; present in the Sept 2025 snapshot, removed in the current GOA release. PR1B1/P14a was directly tested by Niderman et al. (1995), who showed that the purified tomato P14 proteins inhibit Phytophthora infestans zoospore germination in vitro and reduce infected leaf surface in vivo. UniProt records "Has antifungal activity". The CAP-superfamily mechanism is sterol binding and sequestration of sterol from sterol-auxotrophic pathogens (Gamir et al. 2017).
Reason: The annotation is not baseless: the UniProt Antimicrobial/Fungicide keywords are grounded in genuine experimental work, and P14a (= PR1B1) itself showed direct antioomycete activity. However "killing of cells of another organism" implies a strong, direct cytotoxic cell-killing activity. The demonstrated activity for this specific protein is growth inhibition / antimicrobial activity that is modest and isoform-variable (Niderman et al. found P14a to be the WEAKEST of the tomato P14 proteins tested; P14c was the most efficient). The accepted mechanism (sterol sequestration) is growth-inhibitory rather than overtly lytic/cytotoxic. The keyword2GO pipeline produced a term stronger than the literature warrants for this protein. GOA's removal of the raw SPKW annotation was therefore PARTLY JUSTIFIED - a cytotoxic "killing" term is an over-annotation - but a correct underlying biology (direct antimicrobial CAP/sterol-binding activity, defense response) was lost and should be re-expressed with better terms (sterol binding MF and a defense-response BP), not simply deleted.
Proposed replacements:
sterol binding
defense response to oomycetes
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:7784503
Three distinct basic 14-kD proteins, P14a, P14b, and P14c, were isolated from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Baby) leaves infected with Phytophthora infestans. They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro (inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay (decrease in infected leaf surface).
PMID:7784503
The various tomato and tobacco PR-1 proteins were compared for their biological activity and found to display differential fungicidal activity against P. infestans in both the in vitro and in vivo assays, the most efficient being the newly characterized tomato P14c and tobacco PR-1g.
PMID:27747953
we provide genetic and biochemical evidence for the capacity of PR-1 proteins to bind sterols, and demonstrate that the inhibitory effect on pathogen growth is caused by the sequestration of sterol from pathogens.
PMID:27747953
In support of our findings, sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete Phytophthora are particularly sensitive to PR-1, whereas sterol-prototroph fungal pathogens become highly sensitive only when sterol biosynthesis is compromised.
file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
While these assays are not reproduced in the retrieved excerpts for P04284 specifically, they strongly support the working functional model that tomato PR1B1-like proteins contribute to defense as **extracellular antimicrobial proteins**, especially against oomycetes.
|
|
GO:0050832
defense response to fungus
|
IEA
GO_REF:0000043 |
MODIFY |
Summary: SPKW (GO_REF:0000043) annotation derived from the UniProt "Plant defense" / "Pathogenesis-related protein" / "Fungicide" keywords; present in the Sept 2025 snapshot, removed in the current GOA release. PR1B1 is strongly induced during fungal infection (Cladosporium fulvum is cited as an inducer by UniProt and by van Kan et al. 1992), it has direct antimicrobial activity, and it is the precursor of the CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide that activates anti-pathogen defense.
Reason: PR1B1 is a genuine participant in antimicrobial defense, not merely co-induced: it is the founding marker of SAR, it has direct antimicrobial activity, and it yields the CAPE1 defense-signalling peptide. "Defense response to fungus" is therefore substantially correct in spirit. However, the best-characterized direct target of the tomato P14 proteins is Phytophthora infestans, which is an OOMYCETE, not a true fungus; the loosely-applied historical term "antifungal" conflates oomycetes with fungi. The most accurate specific term is "defense response to oomycetes" (GO:0002229), with the broad "defense response to other organism" (GO:0098542) also appropriate to cover both the oomycete and fungal contexts. GOA's removal of this SPKW annotation removed a substantially correct annotation; the removal is at best PARTLY JUSTIFIED, and the biology is better re-expressed via the current ARBA "defense response to other organism" annotation plus the more precise oomycete term.
Proposed replacements:
defense response to oomycetes
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:1421154
Tomato leaves infected by the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum contain several types of intracellular and extracellular pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins.
PMID:7784503
They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro (inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay (decrease in infected leaf surface).
PMID:25361956
A wounding or wounding plus MeJA-induced peptide derived from the pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR-1) family was found to induce significant antipathogen and minor antiherbivore responses in tomato.
PMID:9204567
the PR1b1 gene is strongly activated locally in tissues undergoing the hypersensitive response but not systemically in uninoculated tissues. Furthermore, its expression is induced by both salicylic acid and ethylene precursors
PMID:27747953
In support of our findings, sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete Phytophthora are particularly sensitive to PR-1, whereas sterol-prototroph fungal pathogens become highly sensitive only when sterol biosynthesis is compromised.
|
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GO:0005576
extracellular region
|
IEA
GO_REF:0000002 |
ACCEPT |
Summary: IEA annotation from InterPro2GO (InterPro:IPR018244, the V5/Tpx-1-related CAP conserved-site signature). PR1B1 has a cleaved N-terminal signal peptide (residues 1-24) and is a classic extracellular/apoplastic PR protein; van Kan et al. (1992) explicitly classify the P6/P14 protein among the extracellular PR proteins of tomato.
Reason: Well supported. The signal peptide and the established apoplastic localization of tomato PR-1 proteins make extracellular region the correct compartment. PR-1 biology, including CAPE1 release and sterol sequestration from apoplastic pathogens, occurs in the extracellular space. The IBA annotation in UniProt (GO:0005615 extracellular space) is fully consistent and more specific; the broader extracellular region term is also correct.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:1421154
Previously, we reported the purification and serological characterization of five extracellular PR proteins: P2, P4, P6, a chitinase and a beta-1,3-glucanase
PMID:16453639
p14 represents not only the first completely sequenced PR plant protein but also a new type of structurally unfamiliar proteins whose biological function in the diseased plant remains to be elucidated.
|
|
GO:0098542
defense response to other organism
|
IEA
GO_REF:0000117 |
ACCEPT |
Summary: IEA annotation from an ARBA machine-learning model (ARBA:ARBA00027395). This is the broad term that, in the 2026 GOA release, effectively replaces the two retired SPKW defense annotations. PR1B1 is a genuine participant in plant defense against pathogens: it has direct antimicrobial/antioomycete activity (Niderman et al. 1995), the CAP family acts through sterol binding/sequestration (Gamir et al. 2017), and PR1B1 is the precursor of the CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide (Chen et al. 2014).
Reason: Broad but accurate and well supported. "Defense response to other organism" correctly captures PR1B1's role in defense against both fungal and oomycete pathogens without over-committing to a specific pathogen class or to a cytotoxic "killing" activity. It is an appropriate replacement for the retired SPKW annotations: it retains the correct biology while avoiding the over-strong "killing of cells of another organism" term. A more specific child term, "defense response to oomycetes" (GO:0002229), is also justified by the direct experimental evidence and is proposed as a new annotation below.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:7784503
They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro (inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay (decrease in infected leaf surface).
PMID:25361956
This study highlights a role for PR-1 in immune signaling and suggests the potential application of plant endogenous peptides in efforts to defeat biological threats in crop production.
PMID:36932700
The importance of these proteins in immune defence is illustrated by the fact that PR1 overexpression in plants results in increased resistance against pathogens.
file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
**Primary biological role:** **defense-associated secreted protein** induced by pathogens and by immune hormones (SA and, depending on context, ethylene-related signaling) and by abiotic stress (chilling).
|
|
GO:0002229
defense response to oomycetes
|
IDA
PMID:7784503 Pathogenesis-related PR-1 proteins are antifungal. Isolation... |
NEW |
Summary: The tomato P14 proteins, including P14a (= PR1B1), were directly purified and shown to inhibit the oomycete Phytophthora infestans both in vitro (zoospore germination) and in planta (leaf disc assay). Oomycetes are the most sensitive targets of PR-1 because they are sterol auxotrophs and the CAP/PR-1 mechanism is sterol sequestration.
Reason: This is the most precise process term supported by direct experimental evidence for this specific protein. It is more accurate than the retired "defense response to fungus" SPKW annotation, because the demonstrated direct target (P. infestans) is an oomycete rather than a true fungus, and it is more conservative than the retired "killing of cells of another organism". It is a specific child of the retained ARBA "defense response to other organism" annotation.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:7784503
Three distinct basic 14-kD proteins, P14a, P14b, and P14c, were isolated from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Baby) leaves infected with Phytophthora infestans. They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro (inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay (decrease in infected leaf surface).
PMID:27747953
In support of our findings, sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete Phytophthora are particularly sensitive to PR-1, whereas sterol-prototroph fungal pathogens become highly sensitive only when sterol biosynthesis is compromised.
file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
A highly cited comparative review summarizes experimental evidence that tomato PR-1 proteins can show **direct antifungal activity**, including inhibition of **Phytophthora infestans** zoospore germination in vitro and reduction of lesion area on infected leaf discs in vivo; the review also notes that **basic** tomato PR-1 proteins show higher antifungal activity than acidic counterparts.
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GO:0032934
sterol binding
|
ISS
PMID:27747953 The sterol-binding activity of PATHOGENESIS-RELATED PROTEIN ... |
NEW |
Summary: The molecular function of PR-1 / CAP-superfamily proteins is sterol binding. Gamir et al. (2017) provided genetic and biochemical evidence that PR-1 proteins bind sterols, and that their antimicrobial action is caused by sequestration of sterol away from pathogens. The CAP domain contains a caveolin-binding motif and a flexible aromatic loop responsible for binding sterols and small hydrophobic ligands.
Reason: PR-1 has long been described as "a protein of unknown biochemical function"; the sterol-binding activity of the CAP domain is the best-supported molecular function for the family and explains the observed antimicrobial/antioomycete activity of PR1B1. The evidence is at the family level (recombinant CAP proteins and Arabidopsis PR-1) rather than a PR1B1-specific binding assay, so ISS (inferred from sequence/structural similarity within the conserved CAP domain) is the appropriate evidence code. This MF should replace the uninformative, over-strong process term "killing of cells of another organism".
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:27747953
Here, we provide genetic and biochemical evidence for the capacity of PR-1 proteins to bind sterols, and demonstrate that the inhibitory effect on pathogen growth is caused by the sequestration of sterol from pathogens.
PMID:36932700
The flexibility of this loop and the presence of aromatic residues in this motif are important for the ability of CAP proteins to bind sterols and related small hydrophobic compounds.
file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
A precise sterol-binding affinity for tomato PR1B1 specifically is not present in the retrieved excerpts; lipid-binding is discussed at CAP-superfamily level and in models/reviews.
|
Q: Does purified tomato PR1B1 (P14a) directly bind sterols in vitro, and is its antioomycete activity abolished by mutation of the caveolin-binding motif, as shown for other CAP proteins?
Q: Is the modest antimicrobial activity of P14a (relative to the more potent P14c) biologically meaningful in planta, or is PR1B1's principal defense contribution the release of the CAPE1 signalling peptide?
Q: What protease releases CAPE1 from PR1B1 in tomato, and is CAPE1 release modulated by pathogen effectors as reported for other plant PR1 proteins?
Experiment: Express and purify recombinant tomato PR1B1 and assay sterol binding (e.g. ligand competition / fluorescent sterol binding) and yeast-based sterol export, comparing wild type with caveolin-binding-motif mutants.
Hypothesis: PR1B1 binds sterols via its CAP domain, and this activity is required for its antioomycete activity.
Experiment: Generate tomato PR1B1 knockout/knockdown and overexpression lines and challenge with Phytophthora infestans and Cladosporium fulvum, scoring disease and CAPE1 accumulation.
Hypothesis: PR1B1 contributes quantitatively to pathogen resistance both through direct antimicrobial activity and through CAPE1-mediated defense signalling.
Experiment: Identify the tomato protease(s) that cleave PR1B1 to release CAPE1 and test whether pathogen effectors block this cleavage.
Hypothesis: CAPE1 release from PR1B1 is a regulated proteolytic step targeted by pathogen effectors to suppress host immunity.
The research report should be a detailed narrative explaining the function, biological processes, and localization of the gene product. Citations should be given for all claims.
You should prioritize authoritative reviews and primary scientific literature when conducting research. You can supplement
this with annotations you find in gene/protein databases, but these can be outdated or inaccurate.
We are specifically interested in the primary function of the gene - for enzymes, what reaction is catalyzed, and what is the substrate specificity? For transporters, what is the substrate? For structural proteins or adapters, what is the broader structural role? For signaling molecules, what is the role in the pathway.
We are interested in where in or outside the cell the gene product carries out its function.
We are also interested in the signaling or biochemical pathways in which the gene functions. We are less interested in broad pleiotropic effects, except where these elucidate the precise role.
Include evidence where possible. We are interested in both experimental evidence as well as inference from structure, evolution, or bioinformatic analysis. Precise studies should be prioritized over high-throughput, where available.
The literature on tomato PR-1 proteins uses multiple overlapping names (PR-1, PR1b1, P1/P14, “leaf protein” designations). The core gene-level identifier PR1b1 was cloned and deposited as accession Y08804 (with an acidic paralog PR1a2 = Y08844), establishing an unambiguous molecular handle for tomato PR1b1-family annotation. (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 1-2)
Important limitation: in the retrieved evidence, the classic tomato PR protein called P1(P14) is clearly a PR-1-type protein but is not explicitly sequence-mapped to Y08804/P04284 in the quoted text; therefore, claims about P1(P14) are used as family-/isoform-level contextual evidence, not as definitive isoform-specific claims for P04284. (vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 8-9)
PR-1 proteins belong to the broader CAP (CRISP/Antigen 5/PR-1) superfamily. Modern mechanistic syntheses frame plant PR-1 proteins as secreted defense proteins whose biochemical activity has been historically unclear but is increasingly linked to lipid binding and processing into immune signaling peptides. (han2023thefunctionof pages 9-10, han2023thefunctionof pages 1-2)
A 2017 biochemical/structural study on CAP proteins includes “tomato PR1B1 (P04284)” explicitly in a table of CAP-family members (by UniProt identifier), supporting that the target (P04284) is recognized in the CAP protein literature as a bona fide CAP-family representative. (bai2023mopce1acappr pages 15-16)
Classical PR proteins are frequently found in the apoplast (extracellular space). Some PR-1 isoforms, particularly basic members, are often described as vacuolar and/or extracellular; these compartment assignments are important because they determine whether PR-1 acts as a direct antimicrobial effector in the apoplast, a stored defense factor in vacuoles, or both. (loon1999thefamiliesof pages 3-5)
In tomato, Tornero et al. cloned and characterized two PR-1 genes and identified PR1b1 (basic) as pathogen-responsive; PR1b1 is strongly activated locally around tissues undergoing the hypersensitive response after TMV inoculation and is inducible by salicylic acid (SA) and ethylene precursors (ACC and ethephon). (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 8-9, tornero1997twopr1genes pages 1-2)
A key regulatory element in PR1b1 transcriptional control is a conserved promoter GCCGCCTC motif; deletion of the region containing this motif drastically reduces TMV-induced expression, and the motif is tied to ethylene-dependent activation in the promoter assays. (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 8-9)
In a high-impact Plant Cell study, tomato leaves inoculated with Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (1 × 10^6 CFU/mL) showed pathogen-induced accumulation of PR-1B1 mRNA in both wild-type and the ethylene-insensitive Never ripe (Nr/Nr) genotype. Quantification indicated the peak PR-1B1 induction reached ~20-fold above mock at 10 days after inoculation, and ethylene insensitivity did not reduce PR-1B1 induction in this compatible interaction. (lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 5-6, lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 9-10)
Interpretation: PR1B1 is embedded in defense signaling networks that can be triggered by pathogen challenge even when canonical ethylene perception is impaired, consistent with PR1B1 being an integrated output of broader immune and stress signaling rather than a strictly ethylene-dependent marker in all contexts. (lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 9-10)
A classical tomato PR-1-type protein called P1(P14) was shown by immunogold labeling to accumulate in intercellular spaces (apoplast) and in vacuolar inclusion bodies in viroid-stressed leaves, with corrected gold-label densities of about 137 particles/µm² in intercellular spaces and 120 particles/µm² in vacuolar inclusions. (vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 5-8)
The same study also provided direct biochemical evidence for precursor processing: in vitro translation produced a larger precursor that was processed to the mature ~14 kDa form in the presence of microsomes, consistent with entry into the ER and cleavage of an N-terminal signal peptide during secretory trafficking. (vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 5-8)
Independently, a tomato fruit study characterized PR1b1 as a small basic protein and explicitly reports a PR1b1 sequence with an N-terminal signal peptide (24 aa), consistent with secretion. (goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6)
A highly cited comparative review summarizes experimental evidence that tomato PR-1 proteins can show direct antifungal activity, including inhibition of Phytophthora infestans zoospore germination in vitro and reduction of lesion area on infected leaf discs in vivo; the review also notes that basic tomato PR-1 proteins show higher antifungal activity than acidic counterparts. (loon1999thefamiliesof pages 3-5)
While these assays are not reproduced in the retrieved excerpts for P04284 specifically, they strongly support the working functional model that tomato PR1B1-like proteins contribute to defense as extracellular antimicrobial proteins, especially against oomycetes. (loon1999thefamiliesof pages 3-5)
A major 2023 synthesis describes a tomato-specific mechanism: PR1 proteins are proteolytically processed to release a conserved 11-amino-acid C-terminal peptide, CAPE1, which is sufficient to activate immune responses. CAPE1 induces ROS and defense/stress-response gene expression and can confer resistance to Pseudomonas syringae without triggering a hypersensitive response. (han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8)
The site of CAPE1 processing is inferred to be extracellular/apoplastic: treatment of apoplastic fluid with serine-protease inhibitors blocks accumulation of the peptide, implicating extracellular serine proteases in PR1 maturation. (han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8)
Mechanistic significance: this places PR1 proteins (including PR1B1-family proteins) in a dual role—(i) potential direct antimicrobial activity and (ii) functioning as pro-proteins for extracellular damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP)-like signals that amplify immunity. (han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8)
The 2023 review compiles evidence that multiple pathogen effectors target PR1 proteins to suppress immunity. A tomato-relevant example is the Fusarium oxysporum effector FolSvp1, which interacts with PR1 and relocalizes it from the apoplast to the nucleus, thereby abolishing CAPE1 generation and facilitating infection. (han2023thefunctionof pages 8-9)
This positions apoplastic PR1/CAPE processing as a contested node in plant–pathogen interactions and suggests that maintaining PR1 in the apoplast (and enabling its cleavage) is functionally important for defense. (han2023thefunctionof pages 8-9)
A core conceptual development emphasized in 2023–2024 reviews is that CAP-family proteins contain hydrophobic ligand-binding pockets (fatty acids/oxylipins and related hydrophobic molecules) and that lipid binding may influence the C-terminal conformation and thus CAPE1 release. (han2023thefunctionof pages 9-10)
The retrieved figures from Han et al. visually summarize CAP-domain architecture (including the CAPE1 motif and a binding-pocket model) and propose how lipid binding and pathogen effectors can regulate CAPE1 release; these models are shown in the cited figure panels. (han2023thefunctionof media a5725da9, han2023thefunctionof media 95b772ed)
A 2024 review highlights that PR1 can be extremely abundant (noted as 1–2% of leaf protein) and that PR1 belongs to large multigene families (example counts: 22 PR1 homologs in Arabidopsis and 39 in rice). It also emphasizes that pathogens (fungi/oomycetes/nematodes) encode PR1-like CAP proteins that can function as virulence factors, and suggests pathogen-derived PR-like proteins may form complexes with host PR proteins to interfere with host defense. (han2024dualfunctionalityof pages 1-2)
In tomato fruit, PR1b1 is induced strongly by chilling/rewarming. In an experiment chilling mature-green fruit 14 days at 2°C followed by rewarming to 20°C, putrescine increased 10–12-fold during chilling. A ~14 kDa protein band identified as PR1b1 peaked at 6 days after rewarming in control fruit and then declined to near-undetectable by 15 days, whereas in high-polyamine transgenic lines PR1b1 continued to accumulate and remained high through 15 days after rewarming. (goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6)
Transcripts in the polyamine-accumulating lines were reported as “several-fold higher” than controls at 2 and 6 days after rewarming, while control fruit showed negligible PR1b1 expression until late timepoints. (goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 6-7, goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6)
The same study reported that blocking ethylene action (1-MCP) reduced ethylene but did not affect PR1b1 protein induction, and that SA levels were higher in transgenic fruit after rewarming, supporting a model where PR1b1 induction in this context is ethylene-independent and possibly linked to SA-associated stress signaling. (goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 6-7)
Immune status marker (research and breeding): PR1/PR1b1 is widely used as a transcriptional marker of defense activation, especially in SA-associated responses, and tomato PR1b1 promoter elements have been studied for inducible expression designs in plant biotechnology (e.g., promoter motif analyses in TMV/ethylene/SA contexts). (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 8-9, tornero1997twopr1genes pages 1-2)
Engineering broad-spectrum disease resistance: Transgenic strategies that enhance systemic acquired resistance pathways (e.g., NPR1 pathway engineering) have been tested in tomato and include monitoring PR1-family transcripts (including PR1b1 and PR1p6). Such approaches can reduce disease severity against multiple pathogens, although isoform-specific PR1b1 quantitative induction was not extractable from the retrieved excerpt. (lin2004transgenictomatoplants pages 6-8)
Peptide-based immunity elicitation (emerging application): The CAPE1 concept supports development of endogenous peptide elicitors (or their stabilized analogs) to enhance disease resistance. In tomato, CAPE1 is sufficient to induce ROS and defense genes and to reduce Pseudomonas colonization, motivating translational work in crop protection. (han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8)
Working functional annotation for PR1B1 (P04284) in tomato:
Primary cellular site of action: predominantly the secretory pathway and apoplast, with evidence that related PR-1 proteins can also accumulate in vacuolar inclusions under stress; PR1 proteins can be processed from a precursor in an ER/microsome-dependent manner, supporting secretion. (vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 5-8, goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6)
Primary biological role: defense-associated secreted protein induced by pathogens and by immune hormones (SA and, depending on context, ethylene-related signaling) and by abiotic stress (chilling). (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 8-9, goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6)
Mechanistic roles (modern view):
1) contributes to direct extracellular antimicrobial activity (family-level evidence includes anti-oomycete activity against P. infestans), and
2) serves as a pro-protein for generating the immune signaling peptide CAPE1 in the apoplast, which triggers ROS and defense gene activation and improves resistance to bacterial colonization. (loon1999thefamiliesof pages 3-5, han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8)
Network position: a downstream output of immune signaling and a target of pathogen effectors that block PR1 processing or relocalize PR1 away from the apoplast, highlighting its functional relevance in immune execution. (han2023thefunctionof pages 8-9)
| Claim/Concept | Evidence in tomato (paper + key quantitative detail) | Experimental context | Interpretation for function/localization | Citation ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity mapping of target gene | Tornero et al. 1997 cloned two tomato PR-1 genes and assigned PR1b1 = Y08804 and PR1a2 = Y08844; PR1b1 is the pathogen-responsive/basic isoform. | Tomato PR-1 gene cloning and expression analysis. | Confirms the core literature gene identity for tomato PR1b1, consistent with the target being a tomato PR-1/CAP-family protein rather than an unrelated PR-like symbol. | (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 1-2) |
| Dual localization and precursor processing of linked tomato PR-1 protein P1/P14 | Vera et al. 1989 localized tomato P1(P14) to both intercellular spaces/apoplast and vacuolar inclusion bodies; immunogold labeling reached about 137 particles/µm² in intercellular spaces and 120 particles/µm² in vacuolar inclusions. In vitro translation showed a larger precursor processed to mature ~14 kDa protein in the presence of microsomes. | Citrus exocortis viroid-infected tomato leaves; immunocytochemistry plus in vitro translation/microsome processing. | Strong evidence that closely linked tomato PR-1 proteins are secretory-pathway precursors and can accumulate in both apoplast and vacuole, supporting extracellular defense and/or vacuolar storage/trafficking. | (vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 5-8, vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 8-9) |
| Ethylene/SA induction and promoter motif in PR1b1 | Tornero et al. 1997 showed PR1b1 is induced by TMV, salicylic acid, ACC, and ethephon; deletion of a promoter region containing the GCCGCCTC motif caused a drastic loss of TMV responsiveness. | Tomato promoter-deletion and expression studies during hypersensitive response and hormone treatments. | Supports PR1b1 as a defense-induced signaling output gene, integrating ethylene- and SA-associated immune transcriptional control; likely functions in local defense around infection sites. | (tornero1997twopr1genes pages 8-9, tornero1997twopr1genes pages 1-2) |
| Ethylene-insensitive mutant still accumulates PR-1B1 | Lund et al. 1998 inoculated leaves with Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria at 1 × 10^6 CFU/mL and found PR-1B1 mRNA accumulation peaked at ~20-fold above mock by 10 days after inoculation in both wild type and Nr/Nr ethylene-insensitive plants. | Compatible bacterial infection in tomato; RNA gel blots in wild type vs Never ripe mutant. | Pathogen-triggered PR1b1 accumulation can occur without normal ethylene perception in this infection context, indicating PR1b1 is not a simple ethylene-only marker and is embedded in broader defense signaling. | (lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 5-6, lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 9-10) |
| Antifungal activity associated with tomato PR-1 family | van Loon & van Strien 1999 summarized evidence that tomato PR-1 proteins inhibit Phytophthora infestans zoospore germination in vitro and reduce lesion area on infected leaf discs in vivo; basic tomato PR-1 proteins were noted as more antifungal than acidic counterparts. | Comparative PR-protein review synthesizing tomato functional assays. | Supports a primary functional model in which tomato PR1b1-family proteins act as direct extracellular antimicrobial/anti-oomycete defense proteins. | (loon1999thefamiliesof pages 3-5) |
| Chilling/polyamine-responsive PR1b1 accumulation in fruit | Goyal et al. 2016 identified a ~14-kDa PR1b1 as a major chilling-responsive tomato fruit protein. Fruits were chilled 14 d at 2°C then rewarmed; putrescine increased 10–12-fold during chilling. In controls, PR1b1 peaked around 6 days after rewarming then declined; in high-polyamine lines, PR1b1 stayed elevated through 15 d and transcripts were several-fold higher at 2 and 6 d. | Tomato fruit abiotic-stress time course in azygous vs high-polyamine transgenic lines. | Extends PR1b1 biology beyond pathogen response to abiotic/cross-protection stress signaling; consistent with PR1b1 as a robust stress-responsive secreted defense protein linked to SA/polyamine-associated protection. | (goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 1-2, goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 6-7, goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6) |
| CAPE1 processing and apoplastic generation | Han et al. 2023 reviewed tomato evidence that PR1 is proteolytically processed to release the 11-aa CAPE1 peptide; CAPE1 induces ROS, defense genes, limits Pseudomonas syringae colonization, and processing likely occurs in the apoplast/extracellular space because serine-protease inhibitors in apoplastic fluid block peptide accumulation. | Mechanistic synthesis of tomato PR1/CAP studies and CAPE1 signaling. | Indicates PR1 proteins have a second function beyond direct antimicrobial action: they are precursors of extracellular immune-signaling peptides, placing their action chiefly in the apoplast. | (han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8) |
Table: This table condenses the key tomato-specific evidence most useful for annotating PR1B1/P04284 and closely linked tomato PR-1 proteins. It highlights identity, localization, regulation, inferred function, and newer CAPE1-based mechanistic interpretations.
The following figure panels from Han et al. 2023 summarize PR1 CAP-domain features and a working model for ligand binding and CAPE1 peptide release regulation; these support the mechanistic interpretation above. (han2023thefunctionof media a5725da9, han2023thefunctionof media 95b772ed)
References
(tornero1997twopr1genes pages 1-2): Pablo Tornero, José Gadea, Vicente Conejero, and Pablo Vera. Two pr-1 genes from tomato are differentially regulated and reveal a novel mode of expression for a pathogenesis-related gene during the hypersensitive response and development. Molecular plant-microbe interactions : MPMI, 10 5:624-34, Jul 1997. URL: https://doi.org/10.1094/mpmi.1997.10.5.624, doi:10.1094/mpmi.1997.10.5.624. This article has 201 citations.
(vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 8-9): P. Vera, J. Hernandez-Yago, and V. Conejero. ‘pathogenesis-related’ p1(p14) protein. vacuolar and apoplastic localization in leaf tissue from tomato plants infected with citrus exocortis viroid; in vitro synthesis and processing. Journal of General Virology, 70:1933-1942, Aug 1989. URL: https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-70-8-1933, doi:10.1099/0022-1317-70-8-1933. This article has 38 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(han2023thefunctionof pages 9-10): Zhu Han, Dianguang Xiong, Roger Schneiter, and Chengming Tian. The function of plant pr1 and other members of the cap protein superfamily in plant–pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant Pathology, 24:651-668, Mar 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13320, doi:10.1111/mpp.13320. This article has 152 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(han2023thefunctionof pages 1-2): Zhu Han, Dianguang Xiong, Roger Schneiter, and Chengming Tian. The function of plant pr1 and other members of the cap protein superfamily in plant–pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant Pathology, 24:651-668, Mar 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13320, doi:10.1111/mpp.13320. This article has 152 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(bai2023mopce1acappr pages 15-16): Huimin Bai, Xiaomin Chen, Dao Zhou, Jiayuan Guo, Ting Sun, Yuanhao Liu, Zecheng Lai, Dongmei Zhang, Wei Tang, Xiuxiu Li, Zhenhui Zhong, Guodong Lu, Zonghua Wang, and Huakun Zheng. Mopce1, a cap/pr domain containing effector is required for the pathogenicity of magnaporthe oryzae by interacting with the osdi19-5 in rice. Unknown journal, Nov 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.0510.v1, doi:10.20944/preprints202311.0510.v1.
(loon1999thefamiliesof pages 3-5): L.C. VAN LOON and E.A. VAN STRIEN. The families of pathogenesis-related proteins, their activities, and comparative analysis of pr-1 type proteins. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, 55:85-97, Aug 1999. URL: https://doi.org/10.1006/pmpp.1999.0213, doi:10.1006/pmpp.1999.0213. This article has 2778 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(tornero1997twopr1genes pages 8-9): Pablo Tornero, José Gadea, Vicente Conejero, and Pablo Vera. Two pr-1 genes from tomato are differentially regulated and reveal a novel mode of expression for a pathogenesis-related gene during the hypersensitive response and development. Molecular plant-microbe interactions : MPMI, 10 5:624-34, Jul 1997. URL: https://doi.org/10.1094/mpmi.1997.10.5.624, doi:10.1094/mpmi.1997.10.5.624. This article has 201 citations.
(lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 5-6): Steven T. Lund, Robert E. Stall, and Harry J. Klee. Ethylene regulates the susceptible response to pathogen infection in tomato. Plant Cell, 10:371-382, Mar 1998. URL: https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.10.3.371, doi:10.1105/tpc.10.3.371. This article has 537 citations and is from a highest quality peer-reviewed journal.
(lund1998ethyleneregulatesthe pages 9-10): Steven T. Lund, Robert E. Stall, and Harry J. Klee. Ethylene regulates the susceptible response to pathogen infection in tomato. Plant Cell, 10:371-382, Mar 1998. URL: https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.10.3.371, doi:10.1105/tpc.10.3.371. This article has 537 citations and is from a highest quality peer-reviewed journal.
(vera1989‘pathogenesisrelated’p1(p14)protein. pages 5-8): P. Vera, J. Hernandez-Yago, and V. Conejero. ‘pathogenesis-related’ p1(p14) protein. vacuolar and apoplastic localization in leaf tissue from tomato plants infected with citrus exocortis viroid; in vitro synthesis and processing. Journal of General Virology, 70:1933-1942, Aug 1989. URL: https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-70-8-1933, doi:10.1099/0022-1317-70-8-1933. This article has 38 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 4-6): Ravinder K. Goyal, Tahira Fatima, Muhamet Topuz, Anne Bernadec, Richard Sicher, Avtar K. Handa, and Autar K. Mattoo. Pathogenesis-related protein 1b1 (pr1b1) is a major tomato fruit protein responsive to chilling temperature and upregulated in high polyamine transgenic genotypes. Frontiers in Plant Science, Jun 2016. URL: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00901, doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.00901. This article has 74 citations.
(han2023thefunctionof pages 6-8): Zhu Han, Dianguang Xiong, Roger Schneiter, and Chengming Tian. The function of plant pr1 and other members of the cap protein superfamily in plant–pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant Pathology, 24:651-668, Mar 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13320, doi:10.1111/mpp.13320. This article has 152 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(han2023thefunctionof pages 8-9): Zhu Han, Dianguang Xiong, Roger Schneiter, and Chengming Tian. The function of plant pr1 and other members of the cap protein superfamily in plant–pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant Pathology, 24:651-668, Mar 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13320, doi:10.1111/mpp.13320. This article has 152 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(han2023thefunctionof media a5725da9): Zhu Han, Dianguang Xiong, Roger Schneiter, and Chengming Tian. The function of plant pr1 and other members of the cap protein superfamily in plant–pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant Pathology, 24:651-668, Mar 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13320, doi:10.1111/mpp.13320. This article has 152 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(han2023thefunctionof media 95b772ed): Zhu Han, Dianguang Xiong, Roger Schneiter, and Chengming Tian. The function of plant pr1 and other members of the cap protein superfamily in plant–pathogen interactions. Molecular Plant Pathology, 24:651-668, Mar 2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13320, doi:10.1111/mpp.13320. This article has 152 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(han2024dualfunctionalityof pages 1-2): Zhu Han and Roger Schneiter. Dual functionality of pathogenesis-related proteins: defensive role in plants versus immunosuppressive role in pathogens. Frontiers in Plant Science, Aug 2024. URL: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1368467, doi:10.3389/fpls.2024.1368467. This article has 52 citations.
(goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 6-7): Ravinder K. Goyal, Tahira Fatima, Muhamet Topuz, Anne Bernadec, Richard Sicher, Avtar K. Handa, and Autar K. Mattoo. Pathogenesis-related protein 1b1 (pr1b1) is a major tomato fruit protein responsive to chilling temperature and upregulated in high polyamine transgenic genotypes. Frontiers in Plant Science, Jun 2016. URL: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00901, doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.00901. This article has 74 citations.
(lin2004transgenictomatoplants pages 6-8): Wan-Chi Lin, Ching-Fang Lu, Jia-Wei Wu, Ming-Lung Cheng, Yu-Mei Lin, Ning-Sun Yang, Lowell Black, Sylvia K. Green, Jaw-Fen Wang, and Chiu-Ping Cheng. Transgenic tomato plants expressing the arabidopsis npr1 gene display enhanced resistance to a spectrum of fungal and bacterial diseases. Transgenic Research, 13:567-581, Dec 2004. URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-004-2375-9, doi:10.1007/s11248-004-2375-9. This article has 330 citations and is from a peer-reviewed journal.
(goyal2016pathogenesisrelatedprotein1b1 pages 1-2): Ravinder K. Goyal, Tahira Fatima, Muhamet Topuz, Anne Bernadec, Richard Sicher, Avtar K. Handa, and Autar K. Mattoo. Pathogenesis-related protein 1b1 (pr1b1) is a major tomato fruit protein responsive to chilling temperature and upregulated in high polyamine transgenic genotypes. Frontiers in Plant Science, Jun 2016. URL: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00901, doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.00901. This article has 74 citations.
UniProt: P04284 (PR06_SOLLC). RecName "Pathogenesis-related leaf protein 6";
Short "P6"; AltNames "Ethylene-induced protein P1", "P14", "P14A", "P14a", "PR protein".
Gene name PR1B1. Solanum lycopersicum, NCBI:txid4081. 159 aa precursor, signal
peptide 1-24, mature chain 25-159, pyroglutamate at Gln-25. SCP/CAP domain 32-147,
three disulfide bonds. Member of the PR-1 / CAP (CRISP) superfamily.
The UniProt entry is explicit that P04284 (PR1B1) carries the historical names "P14"
and "P14A"/"P14a". The seminal NMR structure (PDB 1CFE) was solved for "P14a"
PMID:9067611. The cDNA clones for
PR1B1 (P6/P14 isomer P6) were reported by van Kan et al. PMID:1421154. Tornero et al. cloned PR1b1 (basic) and PR1a2 (acidic) tomato PR-1 genes
PMID:9204567.
So this gene = the canonical tomato leaf PR-1 protein, the original "pathogenesis-related
leaf protein p14" whose 1985 sequencing revealed a "new type of structurally unfamiliar
protein" (the founding CAP-superfamily sequence).
PR-1 was the first founding member of the CAP superfamily (Cysteine-rich secretory
proteins, Antigen 5, and Pathogenesis-related 1 proteins; also SCP/TAPS). CAP proteins
occur across plants, animals, fungi and pathogens. PR-1 proteins are small (~14-15 kDa
mature), secreted, cysteine-rich, and built around a single CAP/SCP domain
[PMID:36932700 review].
PR-1 genes are the canonical molecular markers of salicylic-acid-dependent
systemic acquired resistance (SAR). "Up-regulation of the PR-1 gene was considered to
be the main marker of SAR elicitation"; PR-1/PR-2/PR-5 are "considered as markers for
salicylic acid (SA)-dependent systemic acquired resistance". They are massively
transcriptionally induced upon pathogen challenge.
Expression of tomato PR1b1 specifically: it is NOT constitutively expressed; it is
transcriptionally activated by pathogen attack, locally in HR tissue, and is induced
by salicylic acid AND ethylene precursors PMID:9204567.
The UniProt INDUCTION line: "Upon infection by virulent and avirulent races of
pathogens, for example fungal pathogen C.fulvum. Also induced by ethylene."
The landmark demonstration of direct antimicrobial activity: Niderman et al. 1995
isolated three basic 14-kD tomato proteins P14a, P14b, P14c from P. infestans-infected
tomato leaves PMID:7784503. Crucially the paper found differential
activity: "The various tomato and tobacco PR-1 proteins were compared for their
biological activity and found to display differential fungicidal activity against
P. infestans... the most efficient being the newly characterized tomato P14c and
tobacco PR-1g." So among the tomato P14 proteins, P14a (= PR1B1) was the LESS efficient;
the strongest activity was P14c (a different, more basic PR-1). The 2023 review
attributes the founding antimicrobial demonstration to this study: "A strong
antimicrobial activity of PR1 was first established in 1995, when zoospores of
Phytophthora infestans were challenged with purified PR1 proteins from tobacco or
tomato (Niderman et al.)" PMID:36932700.
Note: P. infestans is an oomycete, not a true fungus. The historical literature
(and UniProt's "Antifungal"/"Fungicide" keywords, FUNCTION line "Has antifungal
activity") loosely calls oomycete-inhibitory activity "antifungal".
So: P14a/PR1B1 specifically WAS tested and DID show measurable in-vitro and in-planta
inhibitory activity against P. infestans, but it was the weakest of the tomato P14
proteins tested. This is genuine direct evidence of antimicrobial/antioomycete
activity for this protein, albeit modest.
The mechanistic basis of PR-1 antimicrobial action was clarified by Gamir et al. 2017:
PR-1 proteins bind sterols, and the inhibitory effect on pathogen growth is caused by
sequestration of sterol away from the pathogen PMID:27747953.
This explains why oomycetes (sterol auxotrophs that require exogenous sterol) are the
most sensitive targets. The CAP domain has a caveolin-binding motif and a flexible loop
with aromatic residues important for binding sterols and small hydrophobic compounds
PMID:36932700. CAP/PRY proteins are secreted sterol-binding proteins (PNAS 2009,
Choudhary & Schneiter). The Gamir 2017 work was done largely with Arabidopsis PR-1 and
recombinant CAP proteins; it provides the family-level molecular function rather than a
tomato-PR1B1-specific assay, but it is the accepted mode of action for the family.
A major modern reinterpretation of PR-1 function: tomato PR-1b is the precursor of
the CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide. Chen et al. 2014 used quantitative peptidomics
and found "a wounding or wounding plus MeJA-induced peptide derived from the
pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR-1) family was found to induce significant
antipathogen and minor antiherbivore responses in tomato" — "The third peptide
(designated as CAPE1) was derived from PR-1b, a protein of unclear function"
PMID:25361956. CAPE1 is the C-terminal ~11 residues of PR-1b, released proteolytically
(in Arabidopsis by the cysteine protease XCP1). CAPE1 acts as a DAMP elicitor: "CAPE1
was shown to be a DAMP elicitor in this study as it was induced by wounding and
activated defense responses"; "CAPE1 significantly induced several pathogen-related
marker genes, including PR-2, PR-7, Chi2;1, and the precursor of CAPE1 (PR-1b)"; and it
activates SA- and JA-dependent defense and SAR-related responses. "This study
highlights a role for PR-1 in immune signaling." The 2023 review confirms: "plant PR1
is proteolytically cleaved to release a C-terminal CAPE1 peptide, which is sufficient
to activate an immune response. The release of this signalling peptide is blocked by
pathogenic effectors to evade immune defence" PMID:36932700.
So PR1B1 has (at least) TWO defense-related roles: (1) a modest direct
antimicrobial/sterol-sequestering CAP protein, and (2) the proprotein source of the
CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide. Both are "defense response", broadly.
PR1B1 has an N-terminal signal peptide (1-24) and is a classic extracellular /
apoplastic PR protein. UniProt classifies it as one of the extracellular PR
proteins; van Kan et al. studied "extracellular and intracellular PR proteins" and P6
is in the extracellular group PMID:1421154. The InterPro IPR018244-derived GO
annotation "extracellular region" is well supported. PR1/CAPE1 biology occurs in the
apoplastic space.
PR-1 is the textbook marker of SAR — its transcript abundance reports SA signalling
status. But it is also a genuine defense participant/effector: (a) it has direct
(if modest, isoform-variable) antimicrobial activity demonstrated for P14a/PR1B1
itself PMID:7784503; (b) it is the precursor of the CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide
PMID:25361956; (c) overexpression of PR-1 increases pathogen resistance
PMID:36932700. So PR1B1 is both a marker and an effector — it is not "merely
co-induced".
This term implies a direct cytotoxic/cell-killing activity. For PR1B1/P14a specifically,
Niderman et al. 1995 showed direct inhibition of P. infestans zoospore germination and
reduction of infected leaf surface — i.e., direct antioomycete activity. UniProt carries
"Antimicrobial", "Fungicide" keywords and FUNCTION "Has antifungal activity". The CAP
sterol-sequestration mechanism (Gamir 2017) provides a plausible direct
growth-inhibitory/killing mechanism. So this annotation is NOT baseless — it traces to
the UniProt Antimicrobial/Fungicide keywords which are themselves grounded in
experimental work on this protein. However, "killing of cells of another organism" is
a fairly strong/specific BP term; the demonstrated activity for P14a is modest
(weakest of the P14 set) and is better described as growth inhibition / antimicrobial
than outright cytotoxic "killing". GOA's removal of the SPKW annotation removed a
correct-in-spirit annotation; this is a case where the SPKW removal was only PARTLY
justified — the activity is real but the keyword pipeline produced a term that is
arguably stronger than the literature warrants for this specific protein. A better
annotation would be a "defense response" / "response to oomycete" BP plus a sterol-
binding MF, rather than the cytotoxic-sounding "killing of cells of another organism".
PR1B1 is induced by and tested against pathogens. The direct in-vitro/in-planta target
in Niderman 1995 is Phytophthora infestans, an oomycete, not a true fungus.
UniProt INDUCTION cites the fungus Cladosporium fulvum as an inducer. So PR1B1 is
genuinely a participant in antimicrobial defense, and is induced during fungal
infection — "defense response to fungus" is essentially correct as a process the
protein participates in (it is more than mere co-induction: it has antimicrobial
activity and yields CAPE1). The most precisely demonstrated direct target is an
oomycete, so "defense response to oomycetes" (GO:0002229) would be the most accurate
specific term; "defense response to fungus" is reasonable but slightly imprecise.
GOA's removal of this SPKW annotation removed a substantially correct annotation.
This is the broad parent that the ARBA model assigned. It is unambiguously correct and
well supported (PR1B1 participates in defense against pathogens; antimicrobial activity
+ CAPE1 signalling). It is broad but accurate, and it appropriately covers both the
oomycete and fungal contexts. This is a reasonable replacement / retention.
PR1B1 is the canonical extracellular (apoplastic) tomato PR-1 / CAP-superfamily defense
protein, strongly transcriptionally induced by pathogen attack, salicylic acid and
ethylene. It functions in plant defense against pathogens in two ways: as a sterol-
binding CAP protein with direct (modest) antimicrobial/antioomycete activity, and as
the proprotein precursor of the CAPE1 C-terminal immune-signalling peptide. It is the
textbook molecular marker of systemic acquired resistance.
id: P04284
gene_symbol: PR1B1
product_type: PROTEIN
status: COMPLETE
taxon:
id: NCBITaxon:4081
label: Solanum lycopersicum
description: >
PR1B1 (Pathogenesis-related leaf protein 6 / P6 / P14 / P14a; UniProt P04284) is the
canonical tomato PR-1 protein and the founding member of the CAP/SCP superfamily
(cysteine-rich secretory protein, antigen 5, pathogenesis-related 1). It is a small
(~15 kDa mature) secreted, cysteine-rich protein consisting of an N-terminal signal
peptide, a single CAP/SCP domain stabilized by three disulfide bonds, and an extended
C-terminus. PR1B1 is one of the most strongly pathogen-inducible proteins of tomato
leaves and the textbook molecular marker of salicylic-acid-dependent systemic
acquired resistance (SAR). Its transcription is induced locally by pathogen attack
(e.g. the fungus Cladosporium fulvum, tobacco mosaic virus during the hypersensitive
response) and by salicylic acid and ethylene. Beyond serving as a defense marker,
PR1B1 is a genuine defense participant: it is a secreted apoplastic protein with
direct (modest, isoform-variable) antimicrobial/antioomycete activity, and the CAP
superfamily acts mechanistically through sterol binding and sequestration of sterol
away from sterol-auxotrophic pathogens such as Phytophthora. PR1B1 is additionally
the proprotein precursor of the C-terminal immune-signalling peptide CAPE1, a
damage-associated molecular pattern that activates SA/JA-dependent defense gene
expression and pathogen resistance. Its NMR structure (PDB 1CFE) defined the
alpha-beta-alpha sandwich CAP fold.
existing_annotations:
# --- SPKW keyword-mapping annotations (GO_REF:0000043) ---
# Present in the Sept 2025 goa_uniprot_gcrp snapshot (go-db plant.ddb); REMOVED
# from the current (2026) GOA release when GOA retired the keyword2GO pipeline
# for cellular organisms. Reviewed retrospectively to assess whether removal was
# justified. TRUE SPKW-unique (closure-filtered).
- term:
id: GO:0031640
label: killing of cells of another organism
evidence_type: IEA
original_reference_id: GO_REF:0000043
retired: true
review:
summary: >
SPKW (GO_REF:0000043) annotation derived from the UniProt "Antimicrobial" and
"Fungicide" keywords; present in the Sept 2025 snapshot, removed in the current
GOA release. PR1B1/P14a was directly tested by Niderman et al. (1995), who showed
that the purified tomato P14 proteins inhibit Phytophthora infestans zoospore
germination in vitro and reduce infected leaf surface in vivo. UniProt records
"Has antifungal activity". The CAP-superfamily mechanism is sterol binding and
sequestration of sterol from sterol-auxotrophic pathogens (Gamir et al. 2017).
action: MARK_AS_OVER_ANNOTATED
reason: >
The annotation is not baseless: the UniProt Antimicrobial/Fungicide keywords are
grounded in genuine experimental work, and P14a (= PR1B1) itself showed direct
antioomycete activity. However "killing of cells of another organism" implies a
strong, direct cytotoxic cell-killing activity. The demonstrated activity for
this specific protein is growth inhibition / antimicrobial activity that is
modest and isoform-variable (Niderman et al. found P14a to be the WEAKEST of the
tomato P14 proteins tested; P14c was the most efficient). The accepted mechanism
(sterol sequestration) is growth-inhibitory rather than overtly lytic/cytotoxic.
The keyword2GO pipeline produced a term stronger than the literature warrants for
this protein. GOA's removal of the raw SPKW annotation was therefore PARTLY
JUSTIFIED - a cytotoxic "killing" term is an over-annotation - but a correct
underlying biology (direct antimicrobial CAP/sterol-binding activity, defense
response) was lost and should be re-expressed with better terms (sterol binding
MF and a defense-response BP), not simply deleted.
proposed_replacement_terms:
- id: GO:0032934
label: sterol binding
- id: GO:0002229
label: defense response to oomycetes
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:7784503
supporting_text: >
Three distinct basic 14-kD proteins, P14a, P14b, and P14c, were isolated from
tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Baby) leaves infected with Phytophthora
infestans. They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro
(inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay
(decrease in infected leaf surface).
- reference_id: PMID:7784503
supporting_text: >
The various tomato and tobacco PR-1 proteins were compared for their biological
activity and found to display differential fungicidal activity against P.
infestans in both the in vitro and in vivo assays, the most efficient being the
newly characterized tomato P14c and tobacco PR-1g.
- reference_id: PMID:27747953
supporting_text: >
we provide genetic and biochemical evidence for the capacity of PR-1 proteins to
bind sterols, and demonstrate that the inhibitory effect on pathogen growth is
caused by the sequestration of sterol from pathogens.
- reference_id: PMID:27747953
supporting_text: >
In support of our findings, sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete
Phytophthora are particularly sensitive to PR-1, whereas sterol-prototroph
fungal pathogens become highly sensitive only when sterol biosynthesis is
compromised.
- reference_id: file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
supporting_text: >
While these assays are not reproduced in the retrieved excerpts for P04284
specifically, they strongly support the working functional model that tomato
PR1B1-like proteins contribute to defense as **extracellular antimicrobial
proteins**, especially against oomycetes.
- term:
id: GO:0050832
label: defense response to fungus
evidence_type: IEA
original_reference_id: GO_REF:0000043
retired: true
review:
summary: >
SPKW (GO_REF:0000043) annotation derived from the UniProt "Plant defense" /
"Pathogenesis-related protein" / "Fungicide" keywords; present in the Sept 2025
snapshot, removed in the current GOA release. PR1B1 is strongly induced during
fungal infection (Cladosporium fulvum is cited as an inducer by UniProt and by
van Kan et al. 1992), it has direct antimicrobial activity, and it is the
precursor of the CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide that activates anti-pathogen
defense.
action: MODIFY
reason: >
PR1B1 is a genuine participant in antimicrobial defense, not merely co-induced:
it is the founding marker of SAR, it has direct antimicrobial activity, and it
yields the CAPE1 defense-signalling peptide. "Defense response to fungus" is
therefore substantially correct in spirit. However, the best-characterized direct
target of the tomato P14 proteins is Phytophthora infestans, which is an OOMYCETE,
not a true fungus; the loosely-applied historical term "antifungal" conflates
oomycetes with fungi. The most accurate specific term is "defense response to
oomycetes" (GO:0002229), with the broad "defense response to other organism"
(GO:0098542) also appropriate to cover both the oomycete and fungal contexts.
GOA's removal of this SPKW annotation removed a substantially correct annotation;
the removal is at best PARTLY JUSTIFIED, and the biology is better re-expressed
via the current ARBA "defense response to other organism" annotation plus the
more precise oomycete term.
proposed_replacement_terms:
- id: GO:0002229
label: defense response to oomycetes
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:1421154
supporting_text: >
Tomato leaves infected by the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum contain
several types of intracellular and extracellular pathogenesis-related (PR)
proteins.
- reference_id: PMID:7784503
supporting_text: >
They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro
(inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay
(decrease in infected leaf surface).
- reference_id: PMID:25361956
supporting_text: >
A wounding or wounding plus MeJA-induced peptide derived from the
pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR-1) family was found to induce significant
antipathogen and minor antiherbivore responses in tomato.
- reference_id: PMID:9204567
supporting_text: >
the PR1b1 gene is strongly activated locally in tissues undergoing the
hypersensitive response but not systemically in uninoculated tissues.
Furthermore, its expression is induced by both salicylic acid and ethylene
precursors
- reference_id: PMID:27747953
supporting_text: >
In support of our findings, sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete
Phytophthora are particularly sensitive to PR-1, whereas sterol-prototroph
fungal pathogens become highly sensitive only when sterol biosynthesis is
compromised.
# --- Current GOA annotations (2026 release) ---
- term:
id: GO:0005576
label: extracellular region
evidence_type: IEA
original_reference_id: GO_REF:0000002
review:
summary: >
IEA annotation from InterPro2GO (InterPro:IPR018244, the V5/Tpx-1-related CAP
conserved-site signature). PR1B1 has a cleaved N-terminal signal peptide (residues
1-24) and is a classic extracellular/apoplastic PR protein; van Kan et al. (1992)
explicitly classify the P6/P14 protein among the extracellular PR proteins of
tomato.
action: ACCEPT
reason: >
Well supported. The signal peptide and the established apoplastic localization of
tomato PR-1 proteins make extracellular region the correct compartment. PR-1
biology, including CAPE1 release and sterol sequestration from apoplastic
pathogens, occurs in the extracellular space. The IBA annotation in UniProt
(GO:0005615 extracellular space) is fully consistent and more specific; the
broader extracellular region term is also correct.
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:1421154
supporting_text: >
Previously, we reported the purification and serological characterization of
five extracellular PR proteins: P2, P4, P6, a chitinase and a
beta-1,3-glucanase
- reference_id: PMID:16453639
supporting_text: >
p14 represents not only the first completely sequenced PR plant protein but
also a new type of structurally unfamiliar proteins whose biological function
in the diseased plant remains to be elucidated.
- term:
id: GO:0098542
label: defense response to other organism
evidence_type: IEA
original_reference_id: GO_REF:0000117
review:
summary: >
IEA annotation from an ARBA machine-learning model (ARBA:ARBA00027395). This is
the broad term that, in the 2026 GOA release, effectively replaces the two retired
SPKW defense annotations. PR1B1 is a genuine participant in plant defense against
pathogens: it has direct antimicrobial/antioomycete activity (Niderman et al.
1995), the CAP family acts through sterol binding/sequestration (Gamir et al.
2017), and PR1B1 is the precursor of the CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide (Chen et
al. 2014).
action: ACCEPT
reason: >
Broad but accurate and well supported. "Defense response to other organism"
correctly captures PR1B1's role in defense against both fungal and oomycete
pathogens without over-committing to a specific pathogen class or to a cytotoxic
"killing" activity. It is an appropriate replacement for the retired SPKW
annotations: it retains the correct biology while avoiding the over-strong
"killing of cells of another organism" term. A more specific child term,
"defense response to oomycetes" (GO:0002229), is also justified by the direct
experimental evidence and is proposed as a new annotation below.
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:7784503
supporting_text: >
They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro
(inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay
(decrease in infected leaf surface).
- reference_id: PMID:25361956
supporting_text: >
This study highlights a role for PR-1 in immune signaling and suggests the
potential application of plant endogenous peptides in efforts to defeat
biological threats in crop production.
- reference_id: PMID:36932700
supporting_text: >
The importance of these proteins in immune defence is illustrated by the fact
that PR1 overexpression in plants results in increased resistance against
pathogens.
- reference_id: file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
supporting_text: >
**Primary biological role:** **defense-associated secreted protein** induced
by pathogens and by immune hormones (SA and, depending on context,
ethylene-related signaling) and by abiotic stress (chilling).
# --- Proposed new annotations ---
- term:
id: GO:0002229
label: defense response to oomycetes
evidence_type: IDA
original_reference_id: PMID:7784503
review:
summary: >
The tomato P14 proteins, including P14a (= PR1B1), were directly purified and
shown to inhibit the oomycete Phytophthora infestans both in vitro (zoospore
germination) and in planta (leaf disc assay). Oomycetes are the most sensitive
targets of PR-1 because they are sterol auxotrophs and the CAP/PR-1 mechanism is
sterol sequestration.
action: NEW
reason: >
This is the most precise process term supported by direct experimental evidence
for this specific protein. It is more accurate than the retired "defense response
to fungus" SPKW annotation, because the demonstrated direct target (P. infestans)
is an oomycete rather than a true fungus, and it is more conservative than the
retired "killing of cells of another organism". It is a specific child of the
retained ARBA "defense response to other organism" annotation.
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:7784503
supporting_text: >
Three distinct basic 14-kD proteins, P14a, P14b, and P14c, were isolated from
tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Baby) leaves infected with Phytophthora
infestans. They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro
(inhibition of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay
(decrease in infected leaf surface).
- reference_id: PMID:27747953
supporting_text: >
In support of our findings, sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete
Phytophthora are particularly sensitive to PR-1, whereas sterol-prototroph
fungal pathogens become highly sensitive only when sterol biosynthesis is
compromised.
- reference_id: file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
supporting_text: >
A highly cited comparative review summarizes experimental evidence that tomato
PR-1 proteins can show **direct antifungal activity**, including inhibition of
**Phytophthora infestans** zoospore germination in vitro and reduction of lesion
area on infected leaf discs in vivo; the review also notes that **basic** tomato
PR-1 proteins show higher antifungal activity than acidic counterparts.
- term:
id: GO:0032934
label: sterol binding
evidence_type: ISS
original_reference_id: PMID:27747953
review:
summary: >
The molecular function of PR-1 / CAP-superfamily proteins is sterol binding.
Gamir et al. (2017) provided genetic and biochemical evidence that PR-1 proteins
bind sterols, and that their antimicrobial action is caused by sequestration of
sterol away from pathogens. The CAP domain contains a caveolin-binding motif and a
flexible aromatic loop responsible for binding sterols and small hydrophobic
ligands.
action: NEW
reason: >
PR-1 has long been described as "a protein of unknown biochemical function"; the
sterol-binding activity of the CAP domain is the best-supported molecular function
for the family and explains the observed antimicrobial/antioomycete activity of
PR1B1. The evidence is at the family level (recombinant CAP proteins and
Arabidopsis PR-1) rather than a PR1B1-specific binding assay, so ISS (inferred
from sequence/structural similarity within the conserved CAP domain) is the
appropriate evidence code. This MF should replace the uninformative,
over-strong process term "killing of cells of another organism".
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:27747953
supporting_text: >
Here, we provide genetic and biochemical evidence for the capacity of PR-1
proteins to bind sterols, and demonstrate that the inhibitory effect on pathogen
growth is caused by the sequestration of sterol from pathogens.
- reference_id: PMID:36932700
supporting_text: >
The flexibility of this loop and the presence of aromatic residues in this motif
are important for the ability of CAP proteins to bind sterols and related small
hydrophobic compounds.
- reference_id: file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
supporting_text: >
A precise sterol-binding affinity for tomato PR1B1 specifically is not present in
the retrieved excerpts; lipid-binding is discussed at CAP-superfamily level and
in models/reviews.
references:
- id: GO_REF:0000002
title: Gene Ontology annotation through association of InterPro records with GO
terms
findings:
- statement: InterPro CAP/SCP signatures map PR1B1 to the extracellular region,
consistent with its cleaved signal peptide and apoplastic localization.
- id: GO_REF:0000043
title: Gene Ontology annotation based on UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot keyword mapping
findings:
- statement: SwissProt keyword-derived (SPKW) annotations present in the Sept 2025
goa_uniprot_gcrp snapshot but removed from the current GOA release after GOA
retired the keyword2GO pipeline for cellular organisms.
- statement: For PR1B1 the SPKW pipeline produced "killing of cells of another
organism" and "defense response to fungus" from the Antimicrobial, Fungicide and
Plant defense keywords; these capture real biology but at an over-strong or
slightly imprecise level of specificity.
- id: GO_REF:0000117
title: Electronic Gene Ontology annotations created by ARBA machine learning models
findings:
- statement: The ARBA model assigns the broad term "defense response to other
organism", an accurate and appropriate replacement for the retired SPKW defense
annotations.
- id: PMID:1421154
title: Differential accumulation of mRNAs encoding extracellular and intracellular
PR proteins in tomato induced by virulent and avirulent races of Cladosporium
fulvum.
findings:
- statement: The P6/P14 protein (PR1B1) is one of the extracellular PR proteins of
tomato; cDNA clones for the extracellular P14 isomers P4 and P6 were isolated.
- statement: PR protein mRNAs accumulate upon infection by the fungal pathogen
Cladosporium fulvum.
- id: PMID:9204567
title: Two PR-1 genes from tomato are differentially regulated and reveal a novel
mode of expression for a pathogenesis-related gene during the hypersensitive
response and development.
findings:
- statement: PR1b1 is not constitutively expressed but is transcriptionally activated
following pathogen attack, locally in tissues undergoing the hypersensitive
response.
- statement: PR1b1 expression is induced by both salicylic acid and ethylene
precursors.
- id: PMID:16453639
title: Amino acid sequence of the 'pathogenesis-related' leaf protein p14 from
viroid-infected tomato reveals a new type of structurally unfamiliar proteins.
findings:
- statement: The original protein sequencing of tomato leaf protein p14 (= PR1B1)
defined a new structural protein type, the founding sequence of the CAP
superfamily.
- id: PMID:9067611
title: NMR solution structure of the pathogenesis-related protein P14a.
findings:
- statement: The NMR structure of P14a (= PR1B1; PDB 1CFE) revealed a novel
alpha-beta-alpha sandwich CAP fold.
- statement: P14a displays antifungicidal activity and is induced in tomato leaves in
response to pathogen infection.
- id: PMID:7784503
title: Pathogenesis-related PR-1 proteins are antifungal. Isolation and
characterization of three 14-kilodalton proteins of tomato and of a basic PR-1 of
tobacco with inhibitory activity against Phytophthora infestans.
findings:
- statement: Tomato P14a, P14b and P14c proteins directly inhibit Phytophthora
infestans zoospore germination in vitro and reduce infected leaf surface in vivo.
- statement: PR-1 proteins display differential fungicidal activity; tomato P14a
(= PR1B1) was the weakest and tomato P14c the most efficient.
- id: PMID:27747953
title: The sterol-binding activity of PATHOGENESIS-RELATED PROTEIN 1 reveals the
mode of action of an antimicrobial protein.
findings:
- statement: PR-1 / CAP-superfamily proteins bind sterols; their antimicrobial action
is caused by sequestration of sterol away from pathogens.
- statement: Sterol-auxotroph pathogens such as the oomycete Phytophthora are
particularly sensitive to PR-1.
- id: PMID:25361956
title: Quantitative peptidomics study reveals that a wound-induced peptide from PR-1
regulates immune signaling in tomato.
findings:
- statement: The CAPE1 immune-signalling peptide is derived from the C-terminus of
tomato PR-1b (PR1B1).
- statement: CAPE1 is a wound/MeJA-induced DAMP elicitor that activates SA/JA-dependent
anti-pathogen defense gene expression, highlighting a role for PR-1 in immune
signalling.
- id: PMID:36932700
title: The function of plant PR1 and other members of the CAP protein superfamily in
plant-pathogen interactions.
findings:
- statement: PR1 is the founding member of the CAP superfamily; its precise mode of
action has remained elusive, with sterol/lipid binding by the CAP domain the
leading mechanism.
- statement: Plant PR1 is proteolytically cleaved to release the C-terminal CAPE1
peptide, which is sufficient to activate an immune response; PR1 overexpression
increases pathogen resistance.
- id: file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
title: Deep research report (falcon / Edison Scientific) - Functional annotation of
tomato PR1B1 (UniProt P04284), Pathogenesis-related leaf protein 6 / PR-1-type CAP
protein.
findings:
- statement: PR1B1 (P04284) is explicitly recognized in the CAP protein literature as
a bona fide CAP-family representative, and tomato PR1b1 was cloned as accession
Y08804 (the basic, pathogen-responsive PR-1 isoform), confirming the target gene
identity.
- statement: Tomato PR-1 family proteins act as direct extracellular antimicrobial /
anti-oomycete defense proteins - basic PR-1 proteins inhibit Phytophthora infestans
zoospore germination in vitro and reduce lesion area in vivo, with basic isoforms
more antifungal than acidic counterparts; this is family-level evidence and the
report notes no PR1B1-specific cytotoxic "killing" assay exists.
- statement: PR1 proteins are proteolytically processed in the apoplast to release the
11-amino-acid C-terminal peptide CAPE1, which induces ROS and defense gene
expression and confers resistance to Pseudomonas syringae without a hypersensitive
response; processing is blocked by serine-protease inhibitors in apoplastic fluid.
- statement: PR1B1 is a secretory-pathway precursor with a 24-aa N-terminal signal
peptide; closely linked tomato PR-1 protein P1(P14) localizes to both the apoplast
(intercellular spaces) and vacuolar inclusion bodies, supporting an extracellular
site of action.
- statement: A precise sterol-binding affinity for tomato PR1B1 specifically is NOT
present in the retrieved literature; lipid/sterol binding is discussed at the
CAP-superfamily level via hydrophobic ligand-binding pockets, consistent with the
ISS evidence code used for the sterol-binding annotation.
core_functions:
- description: >
PR1B1 is a secreted, apoplastic CAP/PR-1 superfamily defense protein that
participates in plant defense against pathogens. Its CAP domain has sterol-binding
activity, and direct antimicrobial/antioomycete activity has been demonstrated for
the protein itself against Phytophthora infestans; the accepted mechanism is
sequestration of sterol away from sterol-auxotrophic pathogens.
molecular_function:
id: GO:0032934
label: sterol binding
directly_involved_in:
- id: GO:0002229
label: defense response to oomycetes
- id: GO:0098542
label: defense response to other organism
locations:
- id: GO:0005576
label: extracellular region
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:7784503
supporting_text: >
They exhibited antifungal activity against P. infestans both in vitro (inhibition
of zoospore germination) and in vivo with a tomato leaf disc assay (decrease in
infected leaf surface).
- reference_id: PMID:27747953
supporting_text: >
Here, we provide genetic and biochemical evidence for the capacity of PR-1
proteins to bind sterols, and demonstrate that the inhibitory effect on pathogen
growth is caused by the sequestration of sterol from pathogens.
- reference_id: file:SOLLC/PR1B1/PR1B1-deep-research-falcon.md
supporting_text: >
**Primary cellular site of action:** predominantly the **secretory pathway and
apoplast**, with evidence that related PR-1 proteins can also accumulate in
**vacuolar inclusions** under stress; PR1 proteins can be processed from a
precursor in an ER/microsome-dependent manner, supporting secretion.
- description: >
PR1B1 is the proprotein precursor of the C-terminal immune-signalling peptide
CAPE1, a damage-associated molecular pattern that activates SA/JA-dependent defense
gene expression and pathogen resistance. PR1B1 transcript is also the canonical
molecular marker of salicylic-acid-dependent systemic acquired resistance, induced
by pathogen attack, salicylic acid and ethylene.
directly_involved_in:
- id: GO:0098542
label: defense response to other organism
locations:
- id: GO:0005576
label: extracellular region
supported_by:
- reference_id: PMID:25361956
supporting_text: >
The third peptide (designated as CAPE1) was derived from PR-1b, a protein of
unclear function.
- reference_id: PMID:9204567
supporting_text: >
the chimeric PR1b1/GUS gene does not show any constitutive expression in the
plant, but it is transcriptionally activated following pathogen attack.
- reference_id: PMID:36932700
supporting_text: >
Recent progress has revealed that plant PR1 is proteolytically cleaved to release
a C-terminal CAPE1 peptide, which is sufficient to activate an immune response.
- reference_id: PMID:9204567
supporting_text: >
the PR1b1 gene is strongly activated locally in tissues undergoing the
hypersensitive response but not systemically in uninoculated tissues. Furthermore,
its expression is induced by both salicylic acid and ethylene precursors
proposed_new_terms: []
suggested_questions:
- question: >
Does purified tomato PR1B1 (P14a) directly bind sterols in vitro, and is its
antioomycete activity abolished by mutation of the caveolin-binding motif, as shown
for other CAP proteins?
- question: >
Is the modest antimicrobial activity of P14a (relative to the more potent P14c)
biologically meaningful in planta, or is PR1B1's principal defense contribution the
release of the CAPE1 signalling peptide?
- question: >
What protease releases CAPE1 from PR1B1 in tomato, and is CAPE1 release modulated by
pathogen effectors as reported for other plant PR1 proteins?
suggested_experiments:
- description: >
Express and purify recombinant tomato PR1B1 and assay sterol binding (e.g. ligand
competition / fluorescent sterol binding) and yeast-based sterol export, comparing
wild type with caveolin-binding-motif mutants.
hypothesis: >
PR1B1 binds sterols via its CAP domain, and this activity is required for its
antioomycete activity.
- description: >
Generate tomato PR1B1 knockout/knockdown and overexpression lines and challenge with
Phytophthora infestans and Cladosporium fulvum, scoring disease and CAPE1
accumulation.
hypothesis: >
PR1B1 contributes quantitatively to pathogen resistance both through direct
antimicrobial activity and through CAPE1-mediated defense signalling.
- description: >
Identify the tomato protease(s) that cleave PR1B1 to release CAPE1 and test whether
pathogen effectors block this cleavage.
hypothesis: >
CAPE1 release from PR1B1 is a regulated proteolytic step targeted by pathogen
effectors to suppress host immunity.