Structural cell wall proteins in higher plants

Abstract

The architecture and chemical composition of plant cell wall change dynamically according to developmental stage of different cell type and in response to environmental conditions. In this review, attention has been given to the tissue- and organ-specific expression of the cell-wall structural proteins. The best characterized cell-wall structural proteins are: hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs) known as extensins, proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and glycine-rich proteins (GRPs). Two novel classes of cell-wall structural proteins have recently been discovered; they have been named tyrosine- and lysine-rich protein (TLRP) and asparagine- glycine- and tyrosine-rich protein (AGTRP). The meaning of these proteins in the cell-wall has been discussed.

Key Words:

• cell-wall structural proteins
• gene expression
• tissue specificity