Proteomic study of three component interactions： plant, pathogens andantagonistic fungi

The molecular factors involved in the three-way interaction between plant, pathogenic fungi and antagonistic/biocontrol fungi, such as Trichoderma, are still poorly understood, even if they represent a matter of interest for improving crop management and developing new strategies for plant diseases control. The aim of this work is to investigate the components involved in this interaction and, for this purpose, a proteomic approach was used. 2-D maps of the protein extracts from the single co…

Proteomic study of three component interactions:plant, pathogens and antagonistic fungi

The molecular factors involved in the three-way interaction between plant, pathogenic fungi and antagonistic/biocontrol fungi, such as Trichoderma,are still poorly understood, even if they represent a matter of interest for improving crop management and developing new strategies for plant diseases control. The aim of this work is to investigate the components involved in this interaction and, for this purpose, a proteomic approach was used. 2-D maps of the protein extracts from the single components in various interactions between plants (potato, bean,tobacco or tomato), pathogens (Botrytis cinerea, Rhizoctonia solani or Pythium ultimum) and biocontrol fungi ( Trichoderma atroviride strain P1 or Trichoderma harzianum strain T22) were obtained. The protcome of each partner was collected separately and extracted by acetone precipitation in presence of trichloroacetic acid and a reducing agent (DTT). The extracted proteins were separated by isoelectrofocusing (IEF), using IPG (Immobilized pH gradient) strips, followed by SDS-PAGE. In order to improve resolution the separations were performed both on wide than narrow pH range and on different gel lengths. Differential spots were noted in the proteome of the three-way interaction when compared to each single component. These were further characterized by mass spectrometry and in silico analysis with the aim of identifying and cloning the relative genes. During the in vitro interaction of T. harzianum strain T22 with tomato and the culture filtrate or cell walls of pathogens,the spot number was higher than in the presence of pathogen biomass. In terms of Trichoderma differential proteins displayed on 2D gels, the most important changes were obtained in the presence of P. ultimum . During the in vivo interaction with tomato, the antagonist proteome changed much more in presence of soilborne fungi R. solani and P. ultimum than with the foliar fungus B. cinerea, both in terms of total and increased or novel spots In silico analysis of some of those spots revealed homology with intracellular enzymes (GTPases,hydrolases) and with stress-related proteins (heat shock proteins HSP70, bacteriocin cloacin). Specific proteins in the plant proteome, i.e. pathogenesis-related proteins, have been identified during the in vivo interaction of bean with R. solani and T. atroviride strain Pl. This is in agreement with the demonstrated ability of these beneficial fungi to induce plant systemic disease resistance by activating expression of defenc-related genes.Proteins extracted from T. atrovride strain Pi which were analysed by mass spectrometry, revealed some interesting homologies with a fungal hydrophobin of Pleurotus ostreatus and an ABC transporter of Ralstonia metallidurans. These could represent molecular factors involved in the antagonistic mechanisms of Trichoderma and play a role in the three-way interaction with the plant and other microbes.