REVIEW: Hevein-Like Antimicrobial Peptides of Plants

---

A. A. Slavokhotova^1,2*, A. A. Shelenkov², Ya. A. Andreev^1,3, and T. I. Odintsova²

¹Shemyakin–Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; E-mail: annslav82@gmail.com

²Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia

³Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Institute of Molecular Medicine, 119991 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received January 15, 2017; Revision received May 27, 2017

---

Plant antimicrobial peptides represent one of the evolutionarily oldest innate immunity components providing the first line of host defense to pathogen attacks. This review is dedicated to a small, currently actively studied family of hevein-like peptides that can be found in various monocot and dicot plants. The review thoroughly describes all known peptides belonging to this family including data on their structures, functions, and antimicrobial activity. The main features allowing to assign these peptides to a separate family are given, and the specific characteristics of each peptide are described. Further, the mode of action for hevein-like peptides, their role in plant immune system, and the applications of these molecules in biotechnology and medicine are considered.

---

KEY WORDS: hevein-like peptides, antimicrobial peptides, plant immunity

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297917130065

---