Catalase and Antiquitin from Euphorbia characias: Two Proteins Involved in Plant Defense?

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A. Mura^1*, F. Pintus¹, R. Medda¹, G. Floris¹, A. C. Rinaldi², and A. Padiglia^1*

¹Department of Applied Sciences in Biosystems and ²Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato (Cagliari), Italy; fax: +39-070-675-4523; E-mail: padiglia@unica.it; annamura@unica.it

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received December 4, 2006; Revision received January 15, 2007

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Here we report the cDNA nucleotide sequences of a calmodulin-binding catalase and an antiquitin from the latex of the Mediterranean shrub Euphorbia characias. Present findings suggest that catalase and antiquitin might represent additional nodes in the Euphorbia defense systems, and a multi-enzymatic interaction contributing to plant's protection against biotic and abiotic stresses is proposed to occur in E. characias laticifers.

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KEY WORDS: Euphorbia characias, catalase, antiquitin, aldehyde dehydrogenase, calmodulin, latex

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297907050069

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