SGT1 and HSP90 are essential for age-related non-host resistance of Nicotiana benthamiana against the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans

The oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, is the causal agent of potato late blight, which is one of the most destructive and economically important plant diseases. We investigated the interaction between P. infestans and Solanaceous model plant Nicotiana benthamiana. Mature N. benthamiana plants were resistant to 8 isolates of P. infestans, whereas relatively young plants were susceptible to all isolates. Analysis with virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) indicated that NbSGT1 and NbHSP90, genes essential for the function of R proteins, are required for the resistance of N. benthamiana to P. infestans. NbSGT1 was also required for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hypersensitive cell death and expression of NbEAS, a gene for phytoalexin biosynthesis, induced by INF1, a secretory protein derived from P. infestans. These results suggested that N. benthamiana possibly possesses a broad-spectrum R protein against P. infestans, which requires an SGT1/HSP90-dependent mechanism, for the recognition of a conserved molecular pattern of P. infestans.     

A functional gene-for-gene interaction is required for the production of an oxidative burst in response to infection with avirulent Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato in Arabidopsis thaliana

An early event correlated with the gene-for-gene hypersensitive response (HR) is the accumulation of active oxygen species (AOS), also known as the oxidative burst. We present data that genetically demonstrates that the oxidative burst is a downstream component of the RPS2- avrRpt2gene-for-gene signal cascade. An in planta AOS assay using the fluorescent probe 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) was modified for use with the Arabidopsis thaliana / Pseudomonas syringae pv.tomato (P. syringae pv. tomato) model system. An oxidative burst occurred between 8 and 15 hpi with avirulent P. syringae pv. tomato(avrRpt2), but not with virulent P. syringae pv. tomato. This burst preceded cell death and was not observed in the RPS2 Arabidopsis mutantsrps2-101C and rps2-201 inoculated with avirulent P. syringae pv. tomato. An HR-like response has been observed when plants undergoing a systemic acquired resistance (SAR) response are challenged with a normally virulent pathogen (manifestation stage of SAR), however an HR-like oxidative burst was not detected by the in planta AOS assay during this stage of SAR.     

Argentinian potato leafroll virus P0 protein: Novel activities for a previously known suppressor

The potato leafroll virus (PLRV) P0 protein (P0^PL) is a suppressor of RNA silencing. In this study, we showed that P0 protein from an Argentinian isolate of PLRV (P0^PL-Ar) has an additional activity not described for other PLRV or P0 proteins from poleroviruses. Besides reporting that P0^PL-Ar displays both local and systemic silencing suppressor activity, we demonstrated, for the first time, that P0^PL-Ar impedes accumulation of dsRNA-derived siRNAs. We also showed that P0^PL-Ar interacts with Solanum tuberosum SKP1 orthologue (StSKP1) and triggers destabilization of ARGONAUTE 1 (AGO1) and that these actions are mediated by the F-box-like domain. A mutant in the GW/WG motif within the P0^PL-Ar F-box-like motif lost the suppression activity, the interaction with StSKP1 and abolished AGO1 decay. Interestingly, a mutant in the L76/P77 residues within the P0^PL-Ar F-box-like motif, which lost the suppression activity and the interaction with StSKP1, retained the capacity to enable AGO1 decay. Thus, unlike other P0 proteins of previously characterized poleroviruses, P0^PL-Ar seems to have a dual activity, according to the findings of this study. This protein would act at both an upstream and a downstream step of the RNA silencing pathway: upstream of Dicer-like enzyme (DCL)-mediated primary siRNA production and downstream at the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) complex level. Our results contribute to the understanding of the different ways PLRV P0 proteins function as silencing suppressors.     

Ss-Bi1 encodes a putative BAX inhibitor-1 protein that is required for full virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a destructive necrotrophic plant pathogen with global distribution. Although S. sclerotiorum has been studied extensively, substantial research on aspects of the pathogen's ability to cause disease is still needed. Bax inhibitor-1 protein functions as a suppressor of programmed cell death and is involved in the response to biotic and abiotic stress in animals, plants and yeast. In this study, we functionally characterized a putative Bax inhibitor-1 protein, Ss-Bi1, from S. sclerotiorum. Ss-Bi1 is predicted to contain a BAX inhibitor-1-like super family domain and shows significant homology with many BAX inhibitor-1 proteins. High expression levels of Ss-Bi1 were observed in hyphae under various stresses. Targeted silencing of Ss-Bi1 resulted in reduced virulence in host plants. Ss-Bi1 gene-silenced strains were more sensitive to heat stress and ER stress than the wild-type strain. The results suggest that Ss-Bi1 encodes a putative BAX inhibitor-1 protein that is required for full virulence of S. sclerotiorum.     

A hypersensitive response was induced by virulent bacteria in transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing a plant ferredoxin-like protein (PFLP)

The hypersensitive response (HR) displayed by resistance plants against invading pathogens is a prominent feature of an incompatible plant pathogen interaction. It has been shown that tobacco cell cultures transgenic for a plant ferredoxin-like protein (PFLP) that functions as an electron acceptor of Photosystem I increased harpin-mediate HR. In this work we report increased bacterial disease resistance of pflp transgenic tobacco. Compared to the controls, four distinctive characteristics were found in the pflp-transgenics after inoculation with virulent bacterial cells Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci: (i) instead of typical disease symptoms, an HR-like necrosis was observed; (ii) the proliferation of the virulent pathogen was highly retarded; (iii) the expression of hsr203j, an HR marker gene, was apparently induced; (iv)H₂O₂ accumulation was induced immediately. Together, those results demonstrate that enhanced production of PFLP in the transgenic plant conditions the induction of a hypersensitive response during compatible pathogen attack.     

Differential necrotic lesion formation in soybean cultivars in response to soybean mosaic virus

In this study, we examined the necrosis phenotype on leaves of two cultivars of soybean (ZheA8901 and Nannong1138-2) that show varying level of resistance to soybean mosaic virus (SMV). The necrotic symptoms seen on inoculated and systemic leaves of soybean cultivar ZheA8901 were reminiscent of programmed cell death (PCD). The cell death phenotypes were evaluated using the TUNEL method, quantification of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and salicylic acid, callose production, as well as by monitoring expression of defence genes GmPR-1 and GmNPR1. Our results show that SMV inoculation induced PCD on ZheA8901 is associated with rapid increase in H₂O₂, increased SA and callose accumulation and higher defence gene expression.     

Defense induced by a bis-aryl methanone compound leads to resistance in potato against Phytophthora infestans

Plants recognize certain microbial compounds as elicitors of their active defense mechanisms. In the present study, NUBS-4190, a synthetic bis-aryl-methanone compound elicited NO and ROS generation in potato suspension cultured cells and intact potato leaves. Hypersensitive cell death was found in these cultured cells and in potato leaves without the accumulation of phytoalexins in the tubers. Defense-related genes such as StrbohB, StrbohC, StNR1, StNR5, Sthsr203J and StPR1 were expressed in potato suspension cultured cells treated with NUBS-4190. Resistance against Phytophthora infestans also increased in NUBS-4190-treated potato leaves.     

Oligochitosan induces cell death and hydrogen peroxide accumulation in tobacco suspension cells

Oligochitosan has been shown to induce several plant defense responses. In the present work, the effect of oligochitosan on tobacco cell survival was investigated. The results showed that oligochitosan caused tobacco cell death in a dose-dependent manner. About 40.6 % tobacco cells died when cultured for 72 h after 500 μg ml⁻¹ oligochitosan treatment. Certain aspects of this cell death process appeared to be similar to apoptosis in animal cells. These included shrinkage of cytoplasm and condensation of chromatin. Oligochitosan also induced H₂O₂ accumulation in tobacco cell suspension culture. The role of H₂O₂ in the signal transduction that leads to cell death was investigated. Co-treatment of tobacco cells with oligochitosan and catalase inhibited H₂O₂ accumulation but did not inhibit the induction of cell death. The results suggested that apoptosis-like cell death of tobacco cells induced by oligochitosan is independent of H₂O₂ signal pathway.     

Physiological response of Bacillus cereus C1L-induced systemic resistance in lily against Botrytis leaf blight

Bacillus cereus C1L has been demonstrated to induce systemic disease resistance against Botrytis elliptica in lily. The objective of this study was to investigate physiological responses of B. cereus C1L-triggered systemic resistance in lily cv. Star Gazer against B. elliptica. By histological and biochemical analyses, leaves inoculated with B. elliptica displayed cell death, H₂O₂ accumulation and lignin deposition. As plants were elicited with B. cereus C1L, cell death, H₂O₂ accumulation and lignin deposition in leaves caused by B. elliptica infection were suppressed, revealing that suppression of oxidative burst might be associated with B. cereus C1L-induced systemic resistance. In reactive oxygen species inhibitors assays, B. elliptica-caused lesion numbers and H₂O₂ accumulation in lily leaves were significantly reduced as leaves were pretreated with catalase or diphenylene iodonium. Furthermore, the expression of LsGRP1 and LsPsbR in leaves elicited with B. cereus C1L and inoculated with B. elliptica was decreased. The same expression pattern was also observed in leaves pretreated with catalase or diphenylene iodonium and inoculated with B. elliptica. These results suggest that B. cereus C1L-induced systemic resistance may be related to suppression or alleviation of oxidative stress and cell death of lily caused by B. elliptica.     

Involvement of a vascular hypersensitive response in quantitative resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum on tomato rootstock cultivar LS‐89

Ralstonia solanacearum causes bacterial wilt disease in Solanaceae spp. Expression of the Phytophthora inhibitor protease 1 (PIP1) gene, which encodes a papain‐like extracellular cysteine protease, is induced in R. solanacearum‐inoculated stem tissues of quantitatively resistant tomato cultivar LS‐89, but not in susceptible cultivar Ponderosa. Phytophthora inhibitor protease 1 is closely related to Rcr3, which is required for the Cf‐2‐mediated hypersensitive response (HR) to the leaf mould fungus Cladosporium fulvum and manifestation of HR cell death. However, up‐regulation of PIP1 in R. solanacearum‐inoculated LS‐89 stems was not accompanied by visible HR cell death. Nevertheless, upon electron microscopic examination of inoculated stem tissues of resistant cultivar LS‐89, several aggregated materials associated with HR cell death were observed in xylem parenchyma and pith cells surrounding xylem vessels. In addition, the accumulation of electron‐dense substances was observed within the xylem vessel lumen of inoculated stems. Moreover, when the leaves of LS‐89 or Ponderosa were infiltrated with 10⁶ cells mL^?1 R. solanacearum, cell death appeared in LS‐89 at 18 and 24 h after infiltration. The proliferation of bacteria in the infiltrated leaf tissues of LS‐89 was suppressed to approximately 10–30% of that in Ponderosa, and expression of the defence‐related gene PR‐2 and HR marker gene hsr203J was induced in the infiltrated tissues. These results indicated that the response of LS‐89 is a true HR, and induction of vascular HR in xylem parenchyma and pith cells surrounding xylem vessels seems to be associated with quantitative resistance of LS‐89 to R. solanacearum.     

Turnip crinkle virus with nonviral gene cancels the effect of silencing suppressors of P19 and 2b in Arabidopsis thaliana

In plants, green fluorescent protein (GFP) has become a preferred molecular marker for gene expression and cellular localization, and plant viral vectors are valuable tools for heterologous gene expression. Some plant viruses have been used for expression of GFP, and the activities of these viruses are barely affected by the extra GFP gene. In contrast, the packaging and the length of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) genome is strictly limited when foreign genes are inserted into the coding sequences of TCV genome. In this report, we removed the silencing suppressor p38 from TCV, and constructed GFP derivatives of TCV. Then the resulting TCV mutants were used to infect Arabidopsis plants containing mutations in key silencing pathway genes, including triple dcl2/dcl3/dcl4, dcl2, dcl4 and ago mutant plants. Our results demonstrate that the activity of TCV is affected by nonviral GFP insert in Arabidopsis plants, and RNA silencing appears not play an important role. AGOs appear to be more efficient at slicing RNAs of viral origin, especially AGO2 and AGO7. Although the viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSRs) P19 and 2b can enhance the accumulation of viral RNAs, neither P19 nor 2b can significantly increase the expression of TCV mutants with nonviral genes. TCV is an example of an RNA virus that is recalcitrant to add nonviral gene sequences.     

Requirement of Host Signaling Mechanisms for the Action of Ptr ToxA in Wheat

Ptr ToxA, the host-selective toxin produced by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, is genetically associated with the development of tan spot disease of wheat. The toxin was shown previously to cause a programmed cell death in the host that requires de novo mRNA and protein synthesis. In the present study, inhibitors of plant signaling mechanisms protected wheat leaves from toxin action, as determined by electrolyte leakage bioassays, when applied to leaves with toxin. Okadaic acid, calyculin A and phenylarsine oxide, all inhibitors of protein phosphatase activity, reduced toxin-induced electrolyte leakage by more than 90%. Inorganic calcium channel blockers (LaCl₃ and CoCl₂ reduced toxin-induced electrolyte leakage by 78–95%, depending on inhibitor and time of measurement. By comparison, about 50% protection was achieved by the application of the protein kinase inhibitors staurosporine and K-252A. Nonetheless, the reduction in toxin-induced electrolyte leakage by protein kinase inhibitors was reproduced in multiple trials and was statistically significant. The data indicate that host signaling mechanisms, including calcium fluxes and a protein phosphorylation cascade, are required for the Ptr ToxA-induced cell death in wheat. Our current model holds that the signaling events occur between toxin perception by the cell and the toxin-directed gene expression in the host associated with cell death. As an alternative, the toxin-induced mRNA synthesis required for cell death may be for protein phosphatase and/or protein kinase genes. Additional work is required to resolve these possibilities.     

Two CaMK genes with different biochemical characteristics exist in Magnaporthe oryzae

Two types of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) were found in Magnaporthe oryzae. MgCaMK1 and MgCaMK2 were both cloned and sequenced. High similarities in amino acid sequence to other reported CaMKs in fungi suggested that CaMKs were relatively conserved. Both MgCaMK1 and MgCaMK2 have a serine/threonine protein kinase active site and a calmodulin (CaM)-binding domain. Southern blot analysis showed that MgCaMK1 or MgCaMK2 existed as a single copy in the M. oryzae genome. Subsequently, MgCaMK1 or MgCaMK2 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 via a pET-32a (+) plasmid. The purified proteins exhibited protein kinase activity. The autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation of MgCaMK1 exhibited a Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent manner, and suggested that it belonged to the group of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases. However, the autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation of MgCaMK2 exhibited a Ca²⁺-dependent manner and suggested that it belonged to the group of Ca²⁺-dependent protein kinases.     

病毒载体介导的基因沉默体系对朱顶红褪绿环斑病毒NSm基因的沉默效应

为探讨烟草脆裂病毒（tobacco rattle virus,TRV）载体介导的基因沉默技术对朱顶红褪绿环斑病毒（Hippeastrum chlorotic ringspot virus,HCRV）运动蛋白基因NSm的沉默效应,以本氏烟Nicotiana tabacum为材料,构建靶向HCRV NSm序列的基因沉默表达载体pTRV2-NSm,经农杆菌Agrobacterium介导侵染烟苗,检测其侵染效率,人工接种HCRV到沉默表达载体处理过的烟苗,通过观察发病症状、统计病情并应用实时荧光定量PCR(quantitative real-time PCR,qRT-PCR)技术检测TRV介导的基因沉默体系对HCRV侵染的沉默效应。结果表明,pTRV2-NSm沉默表达载体对本氏烟植株的侵染率达到95.00%,并且对本氏烟的生长无明显影响;与对照相比,经沉默载体处理的烟草植株接种HCRV后发病率显著降低,在接种后14 d发病率下降了90个百分点,病毒积累量明显下降,随着时间延长pTRV2-NSm对病毒的抑制效果持续升高,在接种后14 d对病毒病的防治效果最高,达93.13%;qRT-PCR检测发...     

The effect of hydrogen peroxide on the viability of tomato cells and of the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum

An oxidative burst was previously demonstrated to be induced in tomato plants by race specific elicitors of the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum . The in planta levels of H₂O₂estimated to occur during elicitor treatment, were compared with the levels required to show toxicity to host cells and to the fungal pathogen. Injection of Cf-9 tomato leaves with 100 m m H₂O₂caused an insignificant degree of necrosis and 1m H₂O₂was required to cause complete leaf necrosis comparable to that induced by the AVR9 elicitor. Assays with Cf-5 tomato cell suspensions confirmed the low toxicity of H₂O₂to tomato cells but, as expected, the addition of Fe²⁺with H₂O₂(or with intercellular fluids containing AVR5 elicitor) enhanced cell death as determined by the Evans Blue assay. Germination and germ tube growth of conidia of C. fulvum were significantly retarded by 4–5 m m H₂O₂, and at higher concentrations, death of germ tubes was observed (ED₅₀=22 m m), as determined by the fluorescein diacetate assay. The addition of Fe²⁺with H₂O₂had little effect on fungal growth or viability in vitro . These results suggest that the amount of H₂O₂accumulating during an elicitor-induced response in leaves may be sufficient to affect fungal colonization but not to affect viability of host cells unless the Fe²⁺status in the apoplast is in some way altered by the elicitor to facilitate OH^.production via the Fenton reaction.     

Proteomics-based analysis reveals that Verticillium dahliae toxin induces cell death by modifying the synthesis of host proteins

Verticillium dahliae is one of the most destructive soil-borne fungal pathogens that cause vascular wilt diseases in a wide range of important crop plants, including cotton. However, the mechanisms used by this pathogen to infect cotton have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we first investigated changes in protein abundance during the initial interaction between cotton roots and V. dahliae. Among the proteins that were upregulated upon infection, some were related to reactive oxygen species (ROS); among those downregulated upon infection were proteins involved in normal metabolism or cell structure. Further experiments confirmed that a sudden release of ROS and cell death accompany V. dahliae infection in the cotton vasculature. Further analysis indicated that a culture supernatant of V. dahliae induced lesion formation in tobacco leaves; de novo protein synthesis not active gene expression was required for this induction. Lesion formation was dependent on the age of leaves, but neither the known ROS burst nor the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system are prerequisites.     

A plastidic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is responsible for hypersensitive response cell death and reactive oxygen species production

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) has been implicated in the supply of reduced nicotine amide cofactors for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we show participation of the plastidic P2 isoform of G6PDH in plant immunity. A cytosolic isoform (NbG6PDH-Cyto) and two plastidic isoforms (NbG6PDH-P1 and NbG6PDH-P2) cloned from Nicotiana benthamiana were localized in cytosol and chloroplasts, respectively. Hypersensitive response (HR) cell death and NADPH oxidase (RBOH; respiratory burst oxidase homolog)-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production after recognition of INF1 elicitin, secreted by oomycete Phytophthora infestans, decreased in NbG6PDH-P2-silenced plants, but not in NbG6PDH-Cyto- and NbG6PDH-P1-silenced plants. Silencing of the cytosolic NAD kinase NbNADK1, which phosphorylates NADH to form NADPH, compromised HR cell death and ROS production, and concomitant silencing with NbG6PDH-P2 reduced HR cell death and ROS to levels near those in NbG6PDH-P2-silenced plants. Similarly, silencing NbG6PDH-P2 and NbNADK1 resulted in high susceptibility to P. infestans. These results suggest that NADPH produced by the P2 isoform of G6PDH in chloroplasts is responsible for HR cell death and ROS production mediated by RBOH and that NbNADK1 is involved in this pathway.