Constitutive activation of jasmonate signaling in an Arabidopsis mutant correlates with enhanced resistance to Erysiphe cichoracearum,Pseudomonas syringae,and Myzus persicae

In Arabidopsis spp., the jasmonate (JA) response pathway generally is required for defenses against necrotrophic pathogens and chewing insects, while the salicylic acid (SA) response pathway is generally required for specific, resistance (R) gene-mediated defenses against both biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens. For example, SA-dependent defenses are required for resistance to the biotrophic fungal pathogen Erysiphe cichoracearum UCSC1 and the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola, and also are expressed during response to the green peach aphid Myzus persicae. However, recent evidence indicates that the expression of JA-dependent defenses also may confer resistance to E. cichoracearum. To confirm and to extend this observation, we have compared the disease and pest resistance of wild-type Arabidopsis plants with that of the mutants coil, which is insensitive to JA, and cev1, which has constitutive JA signaling. Measurements of the colonization of these plants by E. cichoracearum, P. syringae pv. maculicola, and M. persicae indicated that activation of the JA signal pathway enhanced resistance, and was associated with the activation of JA-dependent defense genes and the suppression of SA-dependent defense genes. We conclude that JA and SA induce alternative defense pathways that can confer resistance to the same pathogens and pests.     

The rice/maize pathogen Cochliobolus spp. infect and reproduce on Arabidopsis revealing differences in defensive phytohormone function between monocots and dicots

The fungal genus Cochliobolus describes necrotrophic pathogens that give rise to significant losses on rice, wheat, and maize. Revealing plant mechanisms of non‐host resistance (NHR) against Cochliobolus will help to uncover strategies that can be exploited in engineered cereals. Therefore, we developed a heterogeneous pathosystem and studied the ability of Cochliobolus to infect dicotyledons. We report here that C. miyabeanus and C. heterostrophus infect Arabidopsis accessions and produce functional conidia, thereby demonstrating the ability to accept Brassica spp. as host plants. Some ecotypes exhibited a high susceptibility, whereas others hindered the necrotrophic disease progression of the Cochliobolus strains. Natural variation in NHR among the tested Arabidopsis accessions can advance the identification of genetic loci that prime the plant’s defence repertoire. We found that applied phytotoxin‐containing conidial fluid extracts of C. miyabeanus caused necrotic lesions on rice leaves but provoked only minor irritations on Arabidopsis. This result implies that C. miyabeanus phytotoxins are insufficiently adapted to promote dicot colonization, which corresponds to a retarded infection progression. Previous studies on rice demonstrated that ethylene (ET) promotes C. miyabeanus infection, whereas salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) exert a minor function. However, in Arabidopsis, we revealed that the genetic disruption of the ET and JA signalling pathways compromises basal resistance against Cochliobolus, whereas SA biosynthesis mutants showed a reduced susceptibility. Our results refer to the synergistic action of ET/JA and indicate distinct defence systems between Arabidopsis and rice to confine Cochliobolus propagation. Moreover, this heterogeneous pathosystem may help to reveal mechanisms of NHR and associated defensive genes against Cochliobolus infection.     

Resistance to Botrytis cinerea induced in Arabidopsis by elicitors is independent of salicylic acid, ethylene, or jasmonate signaling but requires PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT3

Oligogalacturonides (OGs) released from plant cell walls by pathogen polygalacturonases induce a variety of host defense responses. Here we show that in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), OGs increase resistance to the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea independently of jasmonate (JA)-, salicylic acid (SA)-, and ethylene (ET)-mediated signaling. Microarray analysis showed that about 50% of the genes regulated by OGs, including genes encoding enzymes involved in secondary metabolism, show a similar change of expression during B. cinerea infection. In particular, expression of PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT3 (PAD3) is strongly up-regulated by both OGs and infection independently of SA, JA, and ET. OG treatments do not enhance resistance to B. cinerea in the pad3 mutant or in underinducer after pathogen and stress1, a mutant with severely impaired PAD3 expression in response to OGs. Similarly to OGs, the bacterial flagellin peptide elicitor flg22 also enhanced resistance to B. cinerea in a PAD3-dependent manner, independently of SA, JA, and ET. This work suggests, therefore, that elicitors released from the cell wall during pathogen infection contribute to basal resistance against fungal pathogens through a signaling pathway also activated by pathogen-associated molecular pattern molecules.     

NADPH oxidases are involved in differentiation and pathogenicity in Botrytis cinerea

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADPH) oxidases have been shown to be involved in various differentiation processes in fungi. We investigated the role of two NADPH oxidases in the necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus, Botrytis cinerea. The genes bcnoxA and bcnoxB were cloned and characterized; their deduced amino acid sequences show high homology to fungal NADPH oxidases. Analyses of single and double knock-out mutants of both NADPH oxidase genes showed that both bcnoxA and bcnoxB are involved in formation of sclerotia. Both genes have a great impact on pathogenicity: whereas bcnoxB mutants showed a retarded formation of primary lesions, probably due to an impaired formation of penetration structures, bcnoxA mutants were able to penetrate host tissue in the same way as the wild type but were much slower in colonizing the host tissue. Double mutants showed an additive effect: they were aberrant in penetration and colonization of plant tissue and, therefore, almost nonpathogenic. To study the structure of the fungal Nox complex in more detail, bcnoxR (encoding a homolog of the mammalian p67(phox), a regulatory subunit of the Nox complex) was functionally characterized. The phenotype of DeltabcnoxR mutants is identical to that of DeltabcnoxAB double mutants, providing evidence that BcnoxR is involved in activation of both Bcnox enzymes.     

Role of ammonia secretion and pH modulation on pathogenicity of Colletotrichum coccodes on tomato fruit

Colletotrichum coccodes was found to alkalinize the decaying tissue of tomato fruit via accumulation and secretion of ammonia. Alkalinization dynamics caused by ammonia secretion from growing hyphae was examined microscopically using the pH-sensitive fluorescent dye 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein. Values of pH of 7.9 observed in the host tissue close to the hyphal tips declined to pH 6.0 at 10 mm away from the hyphal tip, which was a value that was still higher than that detected in the healthy tissue, pH 4.2. Ammonia accumulation at the infection site depended on the initial environmental pH. Treatments with low (4.0) pH buffer at the infection site resulted in high levels of ammonia secretion and increased virulence of C. coccodes compared with similar treatments with buffer at pH 7.0. Significantly, mutants of C. coccodes defective in nitrogen utilization, nit-, and areA- were impaired in ammonia secretion and showed reduced decay development. The reduced infection rate of nit- mutants could be complemented by adding glutamine at the infection site. Thus, ammonia accumulation is a critical factor contributing to C. coccodes pathogenicity on tomato fruit. The results show that the initial acidic pH of the fruit is conducive to ammonia secretion and the subsequent alkalinization of the infection site, and facilitates fungal virulence and the transformation from the quiescent-biotrophic to active-necrotrophic state.     

The white barley mutant albostrians shows a supersusceptible but symptomless interaction phenotype with the hemibiotrophic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana

Bipolaris sorokiniana (teleomorph: Cochliobolus sativus) is a cereal pathogen of increasing global concern, with most significance in Asiatic cropping systems. In order to gain insight into the mechanism of host resistance, we studied fungal development on the supersusceptible barley mutant albostrians and its parent cv. Haisa. A microscopic dissection of early fungal growth on Haisa and green albostrians leaves revealed a distinct epidermis-localized biotrophic and a mesophyll-based necrotrophic phase. White, green, and striped white-green albostrians leaves showed extreme differences in disease development. When comparing cellular defense responses, we found restriction of fungal spreading after successful infection of host mesophyll tissue to be the most important mechanism limiting outbreak of the disease. Colonization of susceptible green leaves, but not extreme colonization of supersusceptible white albostrians leaves, was associated with macroscopically visible lesion formation and mesophyll accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), implying a symptomless growth of the pathogen in supersusceptible host tissue. In contrast, early epidermal papilla-based resistance was closely linked to H2O2 accumulation in all leaf types. In white leaves, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and the cell death regulator Bax-inhibitor-1 (BI-1) showed a stronger constitutive or pathogen responsive activation, whereas glycolate oxidase (GLOX) and catalase (CAT2) expression was stronger in green leaves. We discuss supersusceptibility and symptomless growth on the basis of the histochemical and the gene expression data.     

Arabidopsis thaliana plants differentially modulate auxin biosynthesis and transport during defense responses to the necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria brassicicola

? Although the role of auxin in biotrophic pathogenesis has been extensively studied, relatively little is known about its role in plant resistance to necrotrophs. ? Arabidopsis thaliana mutants defective in different aspects of the auxin pathway are generally more susceptible than wild-type plants to the necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria brassicicola. We show that A.?brassicicola infection up-regulates auxin biosynthesis and down-regulates the auxin transport capacities of infected plants, these effects being partially dependent on JA signaling. We also show that these effects of A.?brassicicola infection together lead to an enhanced auxin response in host plants. ? Application of IAA and MeJA together synergistically induces the expression of defense marker genes PDF1.2 (PLANT DEFENSIN 1.2) and HEL (HEVEIN-LIKE), suggesting that enhancement of JA-dependent defense signaling may be part of the auxin-mediated defense mechanism involved in resistance to necrotrophic pathogens. ? Our results provide molecular evidence supporting the hypothesis that JA and auxin interact positively in regulating plant resistance to necrotrophic pathogens and that activation of auxin signaling by JA may contribute to plant resistance to necrotrophic pathogens.     

Recovery of ethylene biosynthesis in diazocyclopentadiene (DACP)-treated tomato fruit

Diazocyclopentadiene (DACP), a competitive ethylene action inhibitor binds irreversibly to the ethylene receptor to reduce tissue responses to ethylene. Tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv lsquo;Rondellorsquo;) were treated with DACP at the mature green stage. Ethylene biosynthesis and respiration rate were depressed. Color changes from green to red were delayed. Compared to the control, ACC content increased and ACC oxidase activity in vivo decreased in DACP-treated fruit. Thus, decrease of ethylene production caused by DACP treatment was due to the reduction of ACC oxidase activity. The decline in ripening subsequently recovered after DACP treatment. Results from the Northern analysis for gene expression of ACC synthase and ACC oxidase, showed that expression of both genes declined in DACP-treated fruit, and then recovered. Therefore the recovery of ethylene production was due to the recovery in gene expression and activity of ACC oxidase. We conclude that the effects of DACP on ethylene biosynthesis are on expression of ACC synthase and ACC oxidase genes, and/or regulation of ACC oxidase activity.     

一株内生砖红镰刀菌促进烟草生长和增强青枯病抗性

课题组前期报道了一株对马铃薯具有促生防病作用的内生砖红镰刀菌Fusarium lateritium (FL617)。为拓展该菌株的应用范围,本研究以同为茄科作物的烟草为研究对象,探究了砖红镰刀菌对其生长和抗病的影响。结果表明,与对照组相比,处理组叶表面积、主根数、叶片数、叶绿素a和叶绿素b含量分别提高了5.0、3.9、1.4、1.3和1.3倍;该结果表明砖红镰刀菌对烟草具有促生作用。生测结果表明,砖红镰刀菌增强了烟草对青枯病的抗病性,其青枯病病情指数下降约30%。植物激素合成相关基因表达模式分析,发现处理组植物激素合成相关基因表达显著上调(1.6-39.9倍);用青枯病菌Ralstonia solanacearum感染寄主植物后分析其水杨酸(SA)、茉莉酸(JA)和R基因信号相关基因的转录模式,发现与对照组相比,处理组SA、JA相关基因均显著上调(1.2-8.3倍),仅有一个R基因显著下调(50%)。进一步用GFP标记的菌株进行荧光定殖观察,发现植物根系周围簇生着带有绿色荧光信号的真菌菌丝,表明砖红镰刀菌可以定殖于烟草根系。综上所述,推测砖红镰刀菌F. lateritium能够通过定殖于烟草根系介导植物激素、免疫防御相关基因的表达从而影响植株的生长发育和抗病性。     

Exploration of the late stages of the tomato-Phytophthora parasitica interactions through histological analysis and generation of expressed sequence tags.

The oomycete Phytophthora parasitica is a soilborne pathogen infecting numerous plants. The infection process includes an initial biotrophic stage, followed by a necrotrophic stage. The aim here was to identify genes that are involved in the late stages of infection. Using the host tomato and a transformed strain of P. parasitica expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP), the various infection steps from recognition of the host to the colonization of plant tissues were studied. This late stage was selected to generate 4000 ESTs (expressed sequence tags), among which approx. 80% were from the pathogen. Comparison with an EST data set created previously from in vitro growth of P. parasitica allowed the identification of several genes, the expression of which might be regulated during late stages of infection. Changes in gene expression of several candidate genes predicted from in silico analysis were validated by quantitative RT-PCR experiments. These results give insights into the molecular bases of the necrotrophic stage of an oomycete pathogen.     

Botrytis cinerea manipulates the antagonistic effects between immune pathways to promote disease development in tomato

Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to sense and respond to pathogen attacks. Resistance against necrotrophic pathogens generally requires the activation of the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway, whereas the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway is mainly activated against biotrophic pathogens. SA can antagonize JA signaling and vice versa. Here, we report that the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea exploits this antagonism as a strategy to cause disease development. We show that B. cinerea produces an exopolysaccharide, which acts as an elicitor of the SA pathway. In turn, the SA pathway antagonizes the JA signaling pathway, thereby allowing the fungus to develop its disease in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). SA-promoted disease development occurs through Nonexpressed Pathogen Related1. We also show that the JA signaling pathway required for tomato resistance against B. cinerea is mediated by the systemin elicitor. These data highlight a new strategy used by B. cinerea to overcome the plant's defense system and to spread within the host.