Effect of Harpin from Four Pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae on Pea Defense Responses

To investigate the role of the proteinaceous elicitor, harpin, on host and nonhost plants, we isolated the harpin-coding gene, hrpZ, from Pseudomonas syringae pvs. pisi, glycinea, tabaci and tomato. Effects of the recombinant harpin proteins on pea plants were analyzed and compared with the effects of the corresponding bacterial treatment. After inoculation of pea with pea pathogen P. syringae pv. pisi, the bacterial population increased and the accumulation of PAL-mRNA and pisatin was inhibited. The nonpathogenic pathovars, glycinea, tabaci and tomato induced both defense responses in pea. However, none of the harpins induced the hypersensitive reaction or accumulation of PAL-mRNA and pisatin in pea. Harpins from P. syringae pvs. glycinea, tomato and pisi did induce these defense responses in tobacco, however, suggesting that externally applied harpins either are not recognized or are nonfunctional in pea plants. Received 27 June 2000/ Accepted in revised form 21 February 2001