Antimicrobial Proteins: Key Components of Innate Immunity

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are the small ubiquitous self-defence products which are extensively distributed in plants. They can be classified into several groups, including thionins, defensins, snakins, lipid transfer proteins, glycine-rich proteins, cyclotides, and hevein-type proteins. AMPs are important mediators of an innate host defence system, with antimicrobial activities against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. AMPs can be extracted and isolated from different plants and plant organs such as stems, roots, seeds, flowers and leaves. They perform various physiological defensive mechanisms to eliminate viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, and so could be used as therapeutic and preservative agents.