Functional analyses of chitinases in the moss <i>Physcomitrella patens</i>: chitin oligosaccharide-induced gene expression and enzymatic characterization
<p>Plant chitinases play diverse roles including defense against pathogenic fungi. Using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR analysis, we found that six chitinase (PpChi) genes and two genes for chitin elicitor receptor kinases (PpCERKs) are expressed at considerable levels in the moss <i>Physcomitrella patens</i> subsp. <i>patens</i>. The expressed PpChis belonged to glycoside hydrolase family 19 (class I: PpChi-Ia and -Ib; class II: PpChi-IIa and -IIc; and class IV: PpChi-IV) and to glycoside hydrolase family 18 (class V: PpChi-Vb). Treatment with chitin tetramer or hexamer increased the expression of class I and IV PpChi genes and decreased that of class II PpChi genes. Recombinant PpChi-Ia, PpChi-IV, and PpChi-Vb were characterized. PpChi-IV exhibited higher activity against chitin tetramer and pentamer than PpChi-Ia did. PpChi-Vb showed transglycosylation activity and PpChi-Ia inhibited fungal growth. These results suggest that chitinases of different classes play different roles in defense mechanism of moss plant against fungal pathogens.</p> <p>Possible roles of each class of chitinase and chitin elicitor receptor kinase (CERK) for self-defense against pathogenic fungi in moss plant.</p
