Isochorismate synthase is required to synthesize salicylic acid for plant defence.

Salicylic acid (SA) mediates plant defences against pathogens, accumulating in both infected and distal leaves in response to pathogen attack. Pathogenesis-related gene expression and the synthesis of defensive compounds associated with both local and systemic acquired resistance (LAR and SAR) in plants require SA. In Arabidopsis, exogenous application of SA suffices to establish SAR, resulting in enhanced resistance to a variety of pathogens. However, despite its importance in plant defence against pathogens, SA biosynthesis is not well defined. Previous work has suggested that plants synthesize SA from phenylalanine; however, SA could still be produced when this pathway was inhibited, and the specific activity of radiolabelled SA in feeding experiments was often lower than expected. Some bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa synthesize SA using isochorismate synthase (ICS) and pyruvate lyase. Here we show, by cloning and characterizing an Arabidopsis defence-related gene (SID2) defined by mutation, that SA is synthesized from chorismate by means of ICS, and that SA made by this pathway is required for LAR and SAR responses.     

植物系统获得抗病性的水杨酸信号传递机制研究进展

根据近年来在水杨酸抗病信号分子发现、水杨酸生物合成途径、水杨酸结合蛋白、调控蛋白NPR1与转录因子TGA和WRKY互作等方面的研究结果,对植物系统获得抗病性的水杨酸信号传递机制作了综述.     

Analysis of Salicylic Acid Induced Proteins in Rice

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A putative lipid transfer protein involved in systemic resistance signalling in Arabidopsis

Localized attack by a necrotizing pathogen induces systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to subsequent attack by a broad range of normally virulent pathogens. Salicylic acid accumulation is required for activation of local defenses, such as pathogenesis-related protein accumulation, at the initial site of attack, and for subsequent expression of SAR upon secondary, distant challenge. Although salicylic acid moves through the plant, it is apparently not an essential mobile signal. We screened Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfer DNA (tDNA) tagged lines of Arabidopsis thaliana for mutants specifically compromized in SAR. Here we show that Defective in induced resistance 1-1 (dir1-1) exhibits wild-type local resistance to avirulent and virulent Pseudomonas syringae, but that pathogenesis-related gene expression is abolished in uninoculated distant leaves and dir1-1 fails to develop SAR to virulent Pseudomonas or Peronospora parasitica. Petiole exudate experiments indicate that dir1-1 is defective in the production or transmission from the inoculated leaf of an essential mobile signal. DIR1 encodes a putative apoplastic lipid transfer protein and we propose that DIR1 interacts with a lipid-derived molecule to promote long distance signalling.     

A saponin-detoxifying enzyme mediates suppression of plant defences

Plant disease resistance can be conferred by constitutive features such as structural barriers or preformed antimicrobial secondary metabolites. Additional defence mechanisms are activated in response to pathogen attack and include localized cell death (the hypersensitive response). Pathogens use different strategies to counter constitutive and induced plant defences, including degradation of preformed antimicrobial compounds and the production of molecules that suppress induced plant defences. Here we present evidence for a two-component process in which a fungal pathogen subverts the preformed antimicrobial compounds of its host and uses them to interfere with induced defence responses. Antimicrobial saponins are first hydrolysed by a fungal saponin-detoxifying enzyme. The degradation product of this hydrolysis then suppresses induced defence responses by interfering with fundamental signal transduction processes leading to disease resistance.     

A bacterial E3 ubiquitin ligase targets a host protein kinase to disrupt plant immunity

Many bacterial pathogens of plants and animals use a type III secretion system to deliver diverse virulence-associated 'effector' proteins into the host cell. The mechanisms by which these effectors act are mostly unknown; however, they often promote disease by suppressing host immunity. One type III effector, AvrPtoB, expressed by the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, has a carboxy-terminal domain that is an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Deletion of this domain allows an amino-terminal region of AvrPtoB (AvrPtoB(1-387)) to be detected by certain tomato varieties leading to immunity-associated programmed cell death. Here we show that a host kinase, Fen, physically interacts with AvrPtoB(1-387 )and is responsible for activating the plant immune response. The AvrPtoB E3 ligase specifically ubiquitinates Fen and promotes its degradation in a proteasome-dependent manner. This degradation leads to disease susceptibility in Fen-expressing tomato lines. Various wild species of tomato were found to exhibit immunity in response to AvrPtoB(1-387 )and not to full-length AvrPtoB. Thus, by acquiring an E3 ligase domain, AvrPtoB has thwarted a highly conserved host resistance mechanism.     

声波刺激对拟南芥基因表达的影响

运用银染mRNA逆转录差异显示(DDRT-PCR)技术,初步研究了声波刺激对拟南芥差异基因表达的影响.研究分离得到SA3、SG2-1、SG2-2、SG7-1、SG7-2、CA2共6个差异表达基因片段,进一步运用Northern点杂交确定SA3、CA2、SG7-1为阳性片段,其中SA3片段属于声波刺激特异表达基因, SG7-1片段属于声波刺激增强表达基因,CA2片段属于声波刺激抑制表达基因.研究结果表明植物在基因水平对声波刺激具有响应,为下一步探索植物响应声波应力的分子生物学调控机理奠定了基础.     

Decrement of catalase mRNA level after salicylic acid treatment

Using the barley catalase cDNA as a probe, the effects of salicylic acid (SA) on catalase activity and gene expression have bene studied. The data indicated that higher than 3.0 mmol/I, SA inhibited catalase activity to a large extent and Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the decrease in catalase activity coincided with a decrease in its mRNA level. The important role of SA in plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and its possible mechanism are discussed.     

Isolation and characterization of rice lesion mimic mutants from a T-DNA tagged population

A rice ( Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica cv. Nipponbare) T-DNA tagged population consisting of about 7000 individual lines was generated and screened for rice lesion mimic mutants in the T1 generation. Ten lines were found to develop spontaneous lesions in the absence of pathogen infection and displayed distinct lesion phenotypes. These mutants were tentatively designated as lm1 -lm10 (for lesion mimic), respectively. Lesion formation of lm mutants was developmentally regulated, and all the mutants showed stunted growth and reduced fertility. Genetic analysis demonstrated that all the mutations were recessive, and five partially fertile mutants (lm4-lm8) were derived from different loci. Mimic lesions occurring on the leaves of lm mutants resulted from cell death as revealed by trypan blue staining. Six of them ( lm3 -lm8 ) exhibited enhanced resistance to five bacterial blight isolates, indicating their wide-spectrum resistance to this pathogen. These results imply that some lesion mimic mutations of rice might be involved in disease resistance signaling pathways,and that isolation of these mutated genes may be useful for elucidating molecular mechanisms of plant disease resistance. Among the mutants, only one mutant, lm6, was preliminarily shown to cosegregate with the inserted T-DNA in its T1 generation, making it feasible to isolate the gene responsible for the phenotype of this mutant.     

Co-option of a default secretory pathway for plant immune responses

Cell-autonomous immunity is widespread in plant-fungus interactions and terminates fungal pathogenesis either at the cell surface or after pathogen entry. Although post-invasive resistance responses typically coincide with a self-contained cell death of plant cells undergoing attack by parasites, these cells survive pre-invasive defence. Mutational analysis in Arabidopsis identified PEN1 syntaxin as one component of two pre-invasive resistance pathways against ascomycete powdery mildew fungi. Here we show that plasma-membrane-resident PEN1 promiscuously forms SDS-resistant soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes together with the SNAP33 adaptor and a subset of vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs). PEN1-dependent disease resistance acts in vivo mainly through two functionally redundant VAMP72 subfamily members, VAMP721 and VAMP722. Unexpectedly, the same two VAMP proteins also operate redundantly in a default secretory pathway, suggesting dual functions in separate biological processes owing to evolutionary co-option of the default pathway for plant immunity. The disease resistance function of the secretory PEN1-SNAP33-VAMP721/722 complex and the pathogen-induced subcellular dynamics of its components are mechanistically reminiscent of immunological synapse formation in vertebrates, enabling execution of immune responses through focal secretion.     

NPR1和Defensin双价抗病基因过量表达载体的构建及其对沙田柚的遗传转化

柑橘黄龙病是一种严重危害柑橘生产上的毁灭性病害,目前对该病尚无有效的防治方法.为了培育柑橘黄龙病抗性育种材料,本文分别从克里曼丁橘和荔枝品种三月红叶片中提取总DNA,根据已公布于NCBI中的基因序列设计引物,克隆获得了NPR1和Defensin基因序列。以pbi-121作为载体骨架,构建了NPR1和Defensin双价抗病基因过量表达载体（命名为ND-pbi121）.通过根癌农杆菌介导的遗传转化,获得了6株PCR检测为阳性的导入了NPR1和Defensin基因的沙田柚植株.这一结果将为探究NPR1和Defensin基因的过量表达对柑橘黄龙病的抗性影响提供试材和技术基础.     

UV-B预处理对拟南芥uvr8-2突变体响应干旱胁迫的影响

以拟南芥uvr8-2突变体植株为材料,研究UV-B预处理对植株响应干旱胁迫的影响以及植物激素在此过程中的作用.实验结果表明:从形态观察到生理指标,UV-B预处理显著提高了拟南芥uvr8-2突变体的干旱适应性,与野生型Ler的结果一致;UV-B预处理显著提高了拟南芥uvr8-2突变体抗氧化酶SOD、POD、CAT活性,抗氧化酶基因POD和CAT的表达量,以及植物激素ABA、JA、SA的质量分数,降低了细胞膜受损程度.由此推测:UV-B预处理诱导uvr8-2植株的干旱适应性中存在一条不依赖于UVR8的信号转导途径,即通过增加植物逆境响应激素ABA、JA和SA的质量分数,调控抗氧化酶基因CAT和POD表达和增强抗氧化酶活性,从而缓解干旱胁迫下拟南芥的叶片萎焉、相对含水量下降等现象.     

细胞自噬在植物应答盐胁迫中的作用研究

本研究以模式植物拟南芥为材料,利用生理学和遗传学手段分析了盐胁迫下细胞自噬基因和活性氧(ROS)变化的相关性.结果表明野生型拟南芥Col-0在遭受盐胁迫处理3d表现了叶片漂白的症状并且会诱导ROS的产生和积累了大量的细胞死亡.荧光定量PCR实验表明盐胁迫会诱导细胞自噬相关基因的表达,细胞自噬参与了调控植物的防御机制来响应盐胁迫.进一步的实验表明拟南芥细胞自噬突变体atg2和atg5在遭受盐胁迫处理3d表现了更加严重的叶片漂白症状并且积累大量的细胞死亡和ROS.初步表明细胞自噬主要是通过调控ROS的产生来应答盐胁迫.     

Timing of plant immune responses by a central circadian regulator

The principal immune mechanism against biotrophic pathogens in plants is the resistance (R)-gene-mediated defence. It was proposed to share components with the broad-spectrum basal defence machinery. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is largely unknown. Here we report the identification of novel genes involved in R-gene-mediated resistance against downy mildew in Arabidopsis and their regulatory control by the circadian regulator, CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1). Numerical clustering based on phenotypes of these gene mutants revealed that programmed cell death (PCD) is the major contributor to resistance. Mutants compromised in the R-gene-mediated PCD were also defective in basal resistance, establishing an interconnection between these two distinct defence mechanisms. Surprisingly, we found that these new defence genes are under circadian control by CCA1, allowing plants to 'anticipate' infection at dawn when the pathogen normally disperses the spores and time immune responses according to the perception of different pathogenic signals upon infection. Temporal control of the defence genes by CCA1 differentiates their involvement in basal and R-gene-mediated defence. Our study has revealed a key functional link between the circadian clock and plant immunity.     

Overexpression of rice OsLOL2 gene confers disease resistance in tobacco to Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tabaci

LSD1-related proteins of Arabidopsis with LSD1-like zinc finger domains regulate disease resistance and programmed cell death(PCD). We cloned a rice OsLOL2 gene, orthologous to LSDI of Arabidopsis and expressed it in a tobacco plant. Transgenic tobacco lines displayed enhanced disease resistance to a virulent bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci (Pst). RT-PCR analysis showed that overexpression of OsLOL2 in transgenic tobacco lines resulted in upregulation of two pathogenesis-related (PR) protein genes, PR2 and PR5. Our results suggest that overexpression of OsLOL2 in transgenic tobacco enhances the resistance through the induction of PR pro-teins and hypersensitive response-like reaction.     

Gene expression profiling related to powdery mildew resistance in wheat with the method of suppression subtractive hybridization

“Bainong 3217 × Mardler” BC₅F₄ wheat line at the initial stage of inoculation with powdery mildew pathogen (Erysiphe graminis DC) was used to construct a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library. Totally 760 ESTs were obtained through sequencing. Similarity analysis of ESTs based on BLASTn and BLASTx with the sequences in GenBank, in combination with macroarray differential screening, revealed that 199 ESTs of 65 kinds were known to be functionally disease resistance related. Based on the gene expression profiling in the present study, it is postulated that salicylic acid (SA) and MAP-related signal transduction pathways were involved in powdery mildew resistance in wheat. System acquired resistance genes were predominant in terms of kinds and quantity. With the initiation of cell defense reaction, the genes conferring anti-oxidation substances were largely expressed and thus cell protection mechanism was activated. Much evidence revealed that phenylpropanes metabolic pathway was involved in phytoalexin synthesis in wheat powdery mildew resistance. Genes conferring some enzymes of structural modification of cell walls and proteinase inhibitors inhibiting pathogen growth were also detected. The genes controlling a few proteinases (mainly cysteine proteinase) had a considerable redundancy of expression.     

Phytophthora elicitor PB90 induced apoptosis in suspension cultures of tobacco

The protein elicitor PB90 secreted by Phytophthora boehmeriae is an efficient elicitor inducing the hypersensitive response and systemic acquired resistance in tobacco plants. Here, we observed cell death in suspension-cultured cells of Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 with PB90 treatment using Trypan blue staining method. And this cell death could be suppressed by cycloheximide, an inhibitor of proteins synthesis, which implies that PB90-induced celldeath was an active cell death process requiring new protein synthesis. DAPI staining revealed that PB90 induce rapid chromatin condensation, margination, apoptotic bodies‘ formation and DNA laddering, further TUNEL assay also observed the specific breakage of 3 ‘-OH ends. All of the above common morphological characteristics indicated that PB90 induced apoptosis in suspension cultures of tobacco, suggesting that hypersensitive response induced by PB90 is an apoptotic process.