Pathogenesis-related genes and proteins in forest tree species

Trees occupy more than 30% of the land biosphere. They are important from both ecological and environmental standpoints and provide some of the most valuable commodities in the world economy. The perennial nature and size of trees are the critical determinants of their survival in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. The identification of the defense pathways at biochemical and genetic levels in tree pathosystems are beginning to be addressed. The basic physiological and biochemical mechanisms in woody perennials in response to pathogen is homologous to the model annual crop like Arabidopsis, but their secondary metabolic processes and ecological survival strategies are likely to be divergent from their annual counterparts. The limited domestication in tree species makes its molecular mechanisms less comparable to the highly pedigreed crop species. Recent reports have highlighted that the possible difference in genetic programs responding to invasive pathogens between annuals and perennials could be the spatial and temporal pattern of gene regulation. Several reviews on pathogen defense with reference to crop species are available, while similar reports from the tree species are limited to few commercially important species like Populus, Pinus, Picea, Eucalyptus, Castanea, and Pseudotsuga. This paper reviews the present status of pathogenesis-related genes and proteins from tree species with emphasis on the resistant genes and the proteins induced during systemic acquired resistance and highlights the ecological and evolutionary significance of defense-related genes from tree species.     

Pathogenesis-related proteins are developmentally regulated in tobacco flowers

The accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR) in tobacco leaves has been casually related to pathogen and specific physiological stresses. The known enzymatic function of some of these proteins is potentially antimicrobial. By using antibodies specific to three classes of pathogenesis-related proteins, we examined tobacco plants during their normal growth. The pathogenesis-related proteins accumulated during the normal development of the tobacco flower. The PR-1 class of proteins (biological function unknown) is located in sepal tissue. PR-P, Q polypeptides are endochitinases and are present in pedicels, sepals, anthers, and ovaries. A glycoprotein serologically related to the PR-2,N,O class is a (1,3)-beta-glucanase and is present in pistils. Differential appearance during flower development, in situ localization, and post-translational processing of floral pathogenesis-related proteins point to a hitherto unsuspected function these classes of pathogenesis-related proteins play in the normal process of flowering and reproductive physiology.     

Pathogenesis-related proteins in somatic hybrid rice induced by bacterial blight

Rice bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonasoryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo), is one of the most serious rice diseases worldwide. The bacterial blight resistance trait from Oryza meyeriana, a wild rice species, was introduced into an elite japonica rice cultivar using asymmetric somatic hybridization. This study was carried out with the intention of understanding the molecular mechanism of incompatible interaction between Xoo and the stable somatic hybrids by using proteomic analyses. Proteins were extracted from leaves at 24, 48, and 72 h after Xoo inoculation and separated by 2-DE. A total of 77 protein spots changed their intensities significantly (p<0.05) by more than 1.5-fold at least at one time point. Sixty-four protein spots were successfully identified by MS analysis. Among them, 51 were known to be involved in photosynthesis. Up-regulation of Rubisco large subunit (RcbL) small fragments and down-regulation of RcbL big fragments indicated that intact RcbL and RcbL big fragments degraded following Xoo attack, which was further confirmed by Western blot analysis. The differential expression of proteins related to signal transduction, antioxidant defense, photosynthesis, metabolism, and protein turnover during the Xoo infection, suggests the existence of a complex regulatory network in the somatic hybrid rice that increases resistance toward Xoo infection and damage.     

Pathogenesis-related proteins of tomato : p-69 as an alkaline endoproteinase

An endoproteinase induced by citrus exocortis viroid has been purified from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, cv “Rutgers”) leaves. The proteinase corresponds to one of the major pathogenesis-related proteins of tomato plants and was designated proteinase P-69 as it has a molecular weight of 69,000 to 70,000. The proteinase was purified in four steps: (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation, chromatography on Bio-Gel P-60, DEAE-Sepharose chromatography, and casein-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The proteinase had a pH optimum of 8.5 to 9.0 when assayed with either fluorescein thiocarbamoyl derivative (FTC)-casein or FTC-ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase as substrates. The proteinase activity was inhibited by pCMB and strongly activated by calcium and magnesium ions as well as by DTT. When analyzed by electrofocusing, the activity showed a pI around 9.0.     

Pathogenesis-related proteins and polyamines in a developmental mutant of tomato, epinastic

The polyamine level and the accumulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins were studied in the ethylene overproducing Epinastic (Epi) tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) mutant, as compared with its parent, cv VFN8. Neither a decreased putrescine level nor an enhanced production of PR proteins were detected in Epi, contrary to what could be expected from our previous studies (JM Bellés, J Carbonell, V Conejero [1991] Plant Physiol 96: 1053-1059). However, treatment with the ethylene-releasing compound 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethephon) or silver nitrate at high doses induced a decrease in putrescine content and an enhancing of the synthesis of PR proteins in Epi as ascertained by immunoblot analysis using antisera raised against Rutgers tomato PR proteins.     

高等植物病原相关蛋白

在过去的三十年中,人们对诱导系统性抗性——这一普遍存在于高等植物抗病过程中的现象——进行了深入研究。被真菌、细菌或病毒侵染后,植物表现出广泛的、长时间的系统性抗性。在这一过程中,植物细胞壁组成成分发生改变,表达各种病原相关蛋白(PR蛋白),并合成多种植物抗毒素。本文就主要的PR蛋白家族的结构和功能特性,PR蛋白的发现和分类,及PR蛋白的应用作一综述。     

Pathogenesis-related proteins in lima bean leaves infected with tobacco ringspot virus and their distribution within and around local lesions

Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) induces circular, darkbrown local lesions on primary leaves of lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus cv Nemagreen) with a concomitant production of three basic and three acidic pathogenesisrelated (PR) proteins. The three basic proteins are: a 21 kDa protein related serologically to Pinto bean PR-4d and tobacco PR-5 proteins; a 36 kDa glucanase that is related to tobacco PR-2; and, a 31 kDa chitinase related serologically to ethylene-induced bean chitinase. The three acidic 18 kDa lima bean PR proteins are serologically similar and probably are charged isomers of the same protein. The 21 kDa basic protein and the 18 kDa acidic protein accumulated preferentially at the lesion center while the 31 kDa chitinase and TRSV were distributed evenly throughout the necrotic area. In green tissue immediately surrounding a lesion, the amounts of PR proteins were comparable to or lower than those in the necrotic area, and virions were not detected. This mode of spatial distribution indicates that lima bean PR proteins are not involved in TRSV localization, and is consistent with other observations that PR proteins play no direct role in restricting viral spread.     

植物病程相关蛋白及其在烟草中的研究进展

植物在受到病原物侵染时,会产生一系列抗性反应,病程相关蛋白是其中参与抗病性的重要物质,能够被病原物诱导产生并在植物体内积累,对于诱导植物系统抗性,阻止病原物侵染具有重要作用。对植物病程相关蛋白的性质、诱导因素、分类和功能进行综述,并概述病程相关蛋白与烟草系统抗性的紧密联系以及烟草病程相关蛋白基因在增强系统抗性中的应用,为烟草抗病育种和病虫害防治提供了理论。     

Pathogenesis-related proteins induced by agroinoculation-associated cell wall weakening can be obviated by spray-on inoculation or mannitol ex vivo culture

Agroinoculation transient expression systems are commonly accompanied with elevated pathogenesis-related (PR) protein production and leaf necrosis. We identified the major PR proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana in response to agroinoculation and determined that their occurrence was mainly due to agrobacterium infection and the method of inoculation, rather than due to viral vectors overexpressing foreign proteins. A spray-on inoculation method was optimized in this research and used to obviate the leaf necrosis and PR proteins induced by agrobacterium. Subsequently, this method also increased the yield and purity of the protein-of-interest. A further investigation of PR protein induction by a necrosis-inducing protein, Jun a 1, suggested that the plant pathogenic response was related to biochemical integrity of plant cell wall, which was also confirmed by an osmo-stabilizing mannitol ex vivo culture experiment. These findings provide insight into the response of plants to agroinoculation and suggested a connection between cell wall weakening and PR protein elicitation.     

Light-induced Changes in Expression of Pathogenesis-related Anionic Peroxidase in Cucumber Seedlings

The effect of irradiance on the expression of the Cucumis sativus pathogenesis-related (srPRX) anionic peroxidase was studied in germinating seeds at the period when seedlings start to be photosynthetically active. The diversity in the expression patterns of srPRX was observed in both dark- and light-grown seedlings using activity staining and immunoblotting: beside the three srPRX isoenzymes also other three, serologically unrelated, peroxidase isoforms were accumulated in dark-grown seedlings and one in light-grown seedlings. Furthermore, in light-grown seedlings, it was observed a marked difference in the expression of particular srPRX isoenzymes at higher irradiance (up to 260 W m-2, 400 - 700 nm) in comparison to low irradiance. By tissue printing on nitrocellulose paper it was demonstrated that irradiance during germination induced changes in the temporal and spatial distribution of the srPRX.     

拟南芥PR-1基因启动子的克隆与植物表达载体的构建

根据已报道的拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana L.）病程相关蛋白基因（PR-1）序列设计引物,通过PCR技术从拟南芥中扩增得到水杨酸诱导表达的PR-1基因启动子片段,序列分析表明,该启动子含910bp核苷酸,与已报道的序列比较,核苷酸的同源性为99．7％：将该启动子构建到植物表达载体pB1121上,获得病程相关蛋白基因（PR-1）启动子驱动的GUS报告基因的植物表达载体pBI-prlp,将其转入根癌农杆菌GV3101,通过农杆菌介导转化拟南芥,获得转基因拟南芥植株,为深入研究寄主-病原物相互作用的分子机理奠定基础。     

Induction of Pathogenesis-related Proteins in Barley during the Resistance Reaction to Mildew

Changes in the soluble protein pattern of leaves of eight lines of barley, carrying different resistance genes to mildew, were analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. Apparently new host proteins were induced by Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei in the incompatible reaction which were not present in the immune or susceptible response. These proteins are of low molecular weight, 13,500–27,500 d, and have either very low or very high isoelectric points. Thus, they resemble the pathogenesis-related proteins found in many dicotyledonous species.     

漾濞大泡核桃病程相关蛋白10基因JsPR10-1的克隆与表达分析

病程相关蛋白（pathogenesis related protein, PR） 10的激活与积累在植物抗逆境胁迫中有非常重要的作用。根据漾濞大泡核桃（Juglans sigillata）编码PR10的EST（expressed sequence tag）序列设计引物,利用快速扩增cDNA末端技术,克隆得到PR10基因的全长cDNA序列,并命名为JsPR10-1。JsPR10-1全长cDNA为776 bp,含有483 bp的开放阅读框、74 bp 5′-非编码区以及219 bp 3′-非编码区,编码含有160个氨基酸的蛋白质。全长基因序列中含有1个124 bp的内含子。JsPR10-1编码的蛋白质与栎树（Quercus suber）、欧洲山毛榉（Fagus sylvatica）以及欧洲板栗（Castanea sativa）的PR10相似性较高,并且在PR10的系统进化树中与双子叶植物聚为一支。qRT-PCR分析结果表明,植物信号分子水杨酸、茉莉酸、乙烯以及过氧化氢处理均可诱导JsPR10-1表达。在接种胶孢炭疽菌（Colletotrichum gloeosporioides）后,JsPR10-1的表达量迅速上升并在接种8 h时达到最大值,表明JsPR10-1参与漾濞大泡核桃对胶孢炭疽菌的防卫反应。本研究为揭示漾濞大泡核桃抗性机制奠定了理论依据。     

小麦病程相关蛋白1基因的克隆及特性分析

利用RT－PCR技术,从被白粉菌诱导的小麦－簇毛麦6VS／6AL易位系中获得病程相关蛋白1（TaPr-1)cDNA克隆,该基因具有编码164氨基酸的开放阅读框,其中包含24个氨基酸构成的信号肽和140个氨基酸组成的成熟肽（MW为15.1kD),经蛋白结构比较分析,发现其与植物中已分离的多种PR1类蛋白具一定的同源性,Northern杂交显示,易位系易被诱导12小时左右,该基因转录物累积最多,其在抗病易位系和感病亲本扬5中表达水平有明显差异,Southern杂交表达在小麦基因组中该基因的拷贝数多于1个,且该基因在扬5和易位系中表现多态性,表明6VS上有可能携带基因。     

丹参中病程相关蛋白基因SmSTH-2的生物信息学分析

对丹参cDNA文库的表达序列标签(EST)序列进行BLAST分析显示,其中一条序列与病程相关蛋白基因STH-2有较高的同源性。该序列全长691bp,包含1个长483bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码160个氨基酸,命名为SmSTH-2。生物信息学分析显示:SmSTH-2所编码蛋白的分子质量为17990Da,等电点为5.15,富含谷氨酸、赖氨酸、甘氨酸、丝氨酸,无信号肽,属于稳定类蛋白。与NCBI注册的其他6种植物来源的病程相关蛋白基因编码的氨基酸序列的同源性在42%～46%之间。实时荧光定量PCR的方法检测丹参不同组织部位中SmSTH-2表达和病原菌对该基因诱导表达的影响的结果表明:SmSTH-2在植物的根、茎、叶中均有不同程度的表达,其表达丰度为根>叶>茎;丹参叶片接种黄瓜细菌性角斑病病原菌后,4d内可诱导该基因的表达量持续增加。用PCR方法从基因组水平克隆到SmSTH-2的DNA序列,测序表明SmSTH-2的编码序列在DNA水平上含有一个71bp的内含子,DNA序列注册号为EF621486.     

The Association of "Pathogenesis-related" Proteins with Viral Induced Necrosis in Nicotiana sylvestris

The association of “pathogenesis-related” (PR) proteins with protection from superinfection, systemic acquired resistance and production of localized necrotic lesions was examined with a system using tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Nicotiana sylvestris. Leaves of N. sylvestris with a mosaic from earlier inoculation with a systemically infecting strain of TMV (TMV-C) and control plants were challenged with a necrotizing strain of TMV (TMV-P), RNA of TMV-P and turnip mosaic virus (TuMV). TMV-P virions produced localized necrotic lesions only in the dark green areas of the mosaic of TMV-C infected plants. Both RNA of TMV-P and TuMV produced localized necrotic lesions in both light green and dark green areas of the mosaic of TMV-C infected plants. All three challenge inocula produced localized necrotic lesions in previously uninoculated plants. Six days after challenge inoculation proteins were extracted from separated dark green and light green mosaic leaf tissue, and leaf material from control plants. Proteins were separated by electrophoresis in a 5 % polyacrylamide spacer gel and 10 % polyacrylamide running gel. PR proteins were found in tissue where localized necrotic lesions were produced as a result of challenge inoculation, but not in tissue that was not superinfected. PR proteins were not found in light green or dark green mosaic leaf tissue as a result of TMV-C inoculation. No PR proteins were evident in protein extracts from light green tissue challenged with TMV-P, although PR proteins were produced in dark green tissue, where necrosis occurred, from the same leaves. Systemic acquired resistance (reduction in size of lesions formed by a challenge inoculation) to TuMV or RNA of TMV-P and PR protein concentration was measured at various times in light green areas of mosaic leaves where dark green areas of the mosaic leaves had been inoculated with TMV-P. No quantitative or temporal relationship between the onset of resistance and PR protein production was found. It is concluded that PR proteins are a result of pathogen induced necrosis and not significantly involved in the mechanism(s) of viral induced resistance.     

Pathogenesis-related acidic beta-1,3-glucanase genes of tobacco are regulated by both stress and developmental signals

Three pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins of tobacco are acidic isoforms of beta-1,3-glucanase (PR-2a, -2b, -2c). We have cloned and sequenced a partial cDNA clone (lambda FJ1) corresponding to one of the PR-2 beta-1,3-glucanases. A small gene family encodes the PR-2 proteins in tobacco, and similar genes are present in a number of plant species. We analyzed the stress and developmental regulation of the tobacco PR-2 beta-1,3-glucanases by using northern and western analyses and a new technique to assay enzymatic activity. Stress caused by both thiamine and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection resulted in a dramatic increase in the levels of PR-2 mRNA, protein, and enzyme activities. The increased PR-2 gene expression in upper uninoculated leaves of plants infected with TMV also suggests a role in systemic acquired resistance. During floral development, a number of beta-1,3-glucanase activities were observed in all flower tissues. However, PR-2 polypeptides were observed only in sepal tissue. In contrast, an mRNA that hybridized to the PR-2 cDNA was present in stigma/style tissue and the sepals. Primer extension analysis confirmed the identity of the PR-2 mRNA in sepals, but indicated that the beta-1,3-glucanase gene expressed in the stigma/style of flowers was distinct from the PR-2 genes. The induction of PR-2 protein synthesis by both stress and developmental signals was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the steady-state levels of PR-2 mRNA, suggesting that PR-2 gene expression is regulated, in part, at the level of mRNA accumulation.