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Local and systemic gene expression of sesquiterpene phytoalexin biosynthetic enzymes in plant leaves

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Abstract

Production of antimicrobial metabolites known as phytoalexins is considered as one of the initial and main barriers to inhibit pathogen development in local infected aerial tissues. Capsidiol is the main bicyclic sesquiterpene phytoalexin in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and chili pepper (Capsicum annuum). Production of 5-epi-aristolochene by the corresponding sesquiterpene cyclase enzymes is considered the critical step in capsidiol biosynthesis. To analyze the transcriptional activation of chili pepper 5-epi-aristolochene synthase gene expression in response to several pathogen-associated molecular patterns, a 1,455 bp promoter fragment upstream start codon was fully sequenced and fused to β-glucuronidase reporter gene. Analyses of spatial and temporal patterns of hybrid gene expression were carried out in transgenic tobacco plants. Surprisingly β-glucuronidase was detected in both, the locally treated and the phylotactically adjacent leaves. A particular systemic gene expression was localized in the immediate vascular tissue. The activation patterns of 5-epi-aristolochene synthase transcripts and detection of capsidiol in corresponding tobacco and pepper systemic leaves confirmed these results. This expression pattern might be mediated by reactive oxygen species. This is the first report of a highly localized systemic gene expression of enzymes directly involved in sesquiterpene phytoalexin biosynthesis in leaves, elicited by pathogen-associated molecular patterns.

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Abbreviations

CFU:

colony-forming units

DAB:

3, 3′-diaminobenzidine

FPP:

farnesyl diphosphate

GUS:

β-glucuronidase reporter gene

HMGR:

3-hydroxy-3-metylglutaryl CoA reductase

HR:

hypersensitive response

JA:

jasmonic acid

MAPK:

mitogen-activated protein kinase

PAMPs:

pathogen-associated molecular patterns

PCD:

programmed cell death

PEAS :

5-epi-aristolochene synthase gene

PR:

pathogenesis-related proteins

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SAR:

systemic acquired resistance

TEAS:

tobacco 5-epi-aristolochene synthase gene

UBC2:

ubiquitin conjugating enzyme gene

PAL:

phenylalanine ammonia lyase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Irapuato, P.O. Box 629, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821, Irapuato, Mexico

    Luis David Maldonado-Bonilla, Martha Betancourt-Jiménez & Edmundo Lozoya-Gloria

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  1. Luis David Maldonado-Bonilla
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  2. Martha Betancourt-Jiménez
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  3. Edmundo Lozoya-Gloria
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Correspondence to Edmundo Lozoya-Gloria.

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Maldonado-Bonilla, L.D., Betancourt-Jiménez, M. & Lozoya-Gloria, E. Local and systemic gene expression of sesquiterpene phytoalexin biosynthetic enzymes in plant leaves. Eur J Plant Pathol 121, 439–449 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-007-9262-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-007-9262-1

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