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Comparative pathobiology of Heterobasidion annosum during challenge on Pinus sylvestris and Arabidopsis roots: an analysis of defensin gene expression in two pathosystems

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Abstract

Heterobasidion annosum is widely known as a major root and butt rot pathogen of conifer trees, but little information is available on its interaction with the roots of herbaceous angiosperm plants. We investigated the infection biology of H. annosum during challenge with the angiosperm model Arabidopsis and monitored the host response after exposure to different hormone elicitors, chemicals (chitin, glucan and chitosan) and fungal species that represent diverse basidiomycete life strategies [e.g., pathogen (H. annosum), saprotroph (Stereum sanguinolentum) and mutualist (Lactarius rufus)]. The results revealed that the tree pathogen (H. annosum) and the saprotroph (S. sanguinolentum) could infect the Col-8 (Columbia) ecotype of Arabidopsis in laboratory inoculation experiments. Germinated H. annosum spores had appressorium-like penetration structures attached to the surface of the Arabidopsis roots. Subsequent invasive fungal growth led to the disintegration of the vascular region of the root tissues. Progression of root rot symptoms in Arabidopsis was similar to the infection development that was previously documented in Scots pine seedlings. Scots pine PsDef1 and Arabidopsis DEFLs (AT5G44973.1) and PDF1.2 were induced at the initial stage of the infection. However, differences in the expression patterns of the defensin gene homologs from the two plant groups were observed under various conditions, suggesting functional differences in their regulation. The potential use of the H. annosum–Arabidopsis pathosystem as a model for studying forest tree diseases is discussed.

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Abbreviations

ACC:

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid

AMP:

Antimicrobial protein

DEFLs :

Defensin-like sequences

MeJA:

Methyl jasmonate

PR:

Pathogenesis related

PsDef1 :

Pinus sylvestris defensin 1

qRT-PCR:

Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR

SA:

Salicylic acid

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Academy of Finland (AKA), Helsinki University Research Fund and the Finnish Doctoral Program in Plant Science (FDPPS). We also thank Dr. Hannu Rita for assistance with statistical analysis.

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  1. Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Emad Jaber, Chaowen Xiao & Fred O. Asiegbu

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  1. Emad Jaber
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  2. Chaowen Xiao
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Correspondence to Emad Jaber.

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Jaber, E., Xiao, C. & Asiegbu, F.O. Comparative pathobiology of Heterobasidion annosum during challenge on Pinus sylvestris and Arabidopsis roots: an analysis of defensin gene expression in two pathosystems. Planta 239, 717–733 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-013-2012-z

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