Defense Mechanism of Lectin in Plant Uncovered
Researchers from the University of Tokyo tracked the protection mechanism of lectin in plants. Lectin is a protein that protects humans and other animals from accumulating some viruses including HIV. In plants' defense however, lectin's role remained unclear although large numbers of the protein exist in plants.
A group of scientists from the university's Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences revealed that lectins in plants provide viral resistance. They further explained that plants have a novel lectin-based immune system that works by a different mechanism to the known plant immune system.
The discovery is believed to lead further improvement of plants' natural defenses and reduction of crop loss to disease.
View the news release of the University of Tokyo at http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/todai-research/research-highlights/lost-in-domestication/.
This article is part of the Crop Biotech Update, a weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Aquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)
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