Applied Sciences, Vol. 15, Pages 4463: Bioinformatics-Based Management of Vitellogenin-like Protein’s Role in Pathogen Defense in Nicotiana tabacum L.

Applied Sciences doi: 10.3390/app15084463

Authors:
Hanan Maoz
Amir Elalouf
Amit Yaniv Rosenfeld

The primary objective of this study was to identify and characterize pathogen defense proteins in the Nicotiana tabacum L. proteome, focusing on their structural, functional, and evolutionary properties, as well as their interactions with pathogen-derived molecules. Specifically, we aimed to comprehensively analyze the proteome to pinpoint potential uncharacterized defense-related protein that has emerging roles in immune responses and antioxidant activity across plants and animals. Through integrated computational approaches, we determined evolutionary relationships, and structural modeling of the selected protein was performed using different modeling software, followed by validation through multiple metrics, including stereochemical checks (Ramachandran plot), MolProbity analysis, and Z-scores. We further investigated the functional binding regions or interaction sites. We performed molecular docking to investigate the molecular interactions between selected proteins and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), specifically β-glucan and peptidoglycan (PGN), to elucidate their defensive mechanisms. Last, normal mode analysis (NMA), molecular dynamics simulation (MDS), and post-simulation analyses were employed to evaluate the stability and mobility of the protein–ligand complexes. Uncharacterized vitellogenin-like protein (VLP: ID A0A1S4CXB2) with the potential defense domain chosen because of its predicted immune-related features, stress response patterns, and unknown pathogen role at new immunity functions. Phylogenetic analysis revealed significant sequence homology with VLPs from other members of the Solanaceae family. Structural modeling showed a high-quality model, with docking studies indicating a stronger affinity for PGN (−10.16 kcal/mol) and β-glucan (−7.19 kcal/mol), highlighting its potential involvement in pathogen defense. NMA, MDS, and post-simulation analyses revealed that PGN exhibits more substantial binding stability and more extensive interactions with VLP than β-glucan. Our findings confirmed that VLPs in N. tabacum may function as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), capable of recognizing and responding to pathogens by activating immune signaling pathways. Future experimental validation of these interactions could further elucidate the role of VLPs in plant defense and their potential application in biotechnological approaches for sustainable agriculture.

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Hanan Maoz www.mdpi.com