Posted by
Michael Weilert on Mar 30, 2016 in
Michael Weilert MD |
Comments Off on DAMP In Plants
Researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) have recently reported that a protein that signals tissue damage to the human immune system has a counterpart that plays a similar role in plants. They have identified a new damage-associated molecular pattern molecule or “DAMP” in plants. DAMP molecules released by injured cells trigger an immune response in plants and animals, a protein that researchers call HMGB3. Knowledge of HMGB3 and its human equivalent, HMGB1, allows us to better understand how humans and plants can fight off infections. Plants and animal...