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In interactions between pathogens and plants, pathogens secrete many molecules that facilitate plant infection, and some of these compounds are recognized by plant pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which induce immune responses. Molecules in both pathogens and plants that trigger immune responses in plants are termed elicitors. On the basis of their chemical content, elicitors can be classified into carbohydrates, lipopeptides, proteinaceous compounds and other types. Although many studies have focused on the involvement of elicitors in plants, especially on pathophysiological changes induced by elicitors in plants and the mechanisms mediating these changes, there is a lack of up-to-date reviews on the characteristics and functions of proteinaceous elicitors. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the up-to-date knowledge on several important families of pathogenic proteinaceous elicitors (i.e., harpins, necrosis- and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (nep1)-like proteins (NLPs) and elicitins), focusing mainly on their structures, characteristics and effects on plants, specifically on their roles in plant immune responses. A solid understanding of elicitors may be helpful to decrease the use of agrochemicals in agriculture and gardening, generate more resistant germplasms and increase crop yields.

The induction of plant immunity by Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) constitutes a powerful strategy for crop protection. PAMPs indeed induce general defense responses in plants and thus increase plant resistance to pathogens. Phytophthora infestans culture filtrates (CCFs) are known to induce defense responses and decrease the severity of soft rot due to Pectobacterium atrosepticum in potato tubers. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the active compounds from P. infestans filtrate. The filtrate was fractionated by gel filtration, and the protection effects against P. atrosepticum and the ability to induce PAL activity were tested for each fraction. The fraction active in protection (F1) also induced PAL activity, as did the whole filtrate. Three elicitins (INF1, INF4 and INF5) were identified in F1b, subfraction of F1, by MALDI-TOF-MS and MS/MS analyses. However, deproteinized F1b still showed biological activity against the bacterium, revealing the presence of an additional active compound. GC-MS analyses of the deproteinized fraction highlighted the presence of a galactan-based complex polysaccharide. These experiments demonstrate that the biological activity of the CCF against P. atrosepticum results from a combined action of three elicitins and a complex polysaccharide, probably through the activation of general defense responses.

In interactions between pathogens and plants, pathogens secrete many molecules that facilitate plant infection, and some of these compounds are recognized by plant pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which induce immune responses. Molecules in both pathogens and plants that trigger immune responses in plants are termed elicitors. On the basis of their chemical content, elicitors can be classified into carbohydrates, lipopeptides, proteinaceous compounds and other types. Although many studies have focused on the involvement of elicitors in plants, especially on pathophysiological changes induced by elicitors in plants and the mechanisms mediating these changes, there is a lack of up-to-date reviews on the characteristics and functions of proteinaceous elicitors. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the up-to-date knowledge on several important families of pathogenic proteinaceous elicitors (i.e., harpins, necrosis- and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (nep1)-like proteins (NLPs) and elicitins), focusing mainly on their structures, characteristics and effects on plants, specifically on their roles in plant immune responses. A solid understanding of elicitors may be helpful to decrease the use of agrochemicals in agriculture and gardening, generate more resistant germplasms and increase crop yields.