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Ultraviolet light and ozone stimulate accumulation of salicylic acid, pathogenesis-related proteins and virus resistance in tobacco

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Abstract

In tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthinc), salicylic acid (SA) levels increase in leaves inoculated by necrotizing pathogens and in healthy leaves located above the inoculated site. Systemic SA increase may trigger disease resistance and synthesis of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins). Here we report that ultraviolet (UV)-C light or ozone induced biochemical responses similar to those induced by necrotizing pathogens. Exposure of leaves to UV-C light or ozone resulted in a transient ninefold increase in SA compared to controls. In addition, in UV-light-irradiated plants, SA increased nearly fourfold to 0.77 μg·g−1 fresh weight in leaves that were shielded from UV light. Increased SA levels were accompanied by accumulation of an SA conjugate and by an increase in the activity of benzoic acid 2-hydroxylase which catalyzes SA biosynthesis. In irradiated and in unirradiated leaves of plants treated with UV light, as well as in plants fumigated with ozone, PR proteins 1a and 1b accumulated. This was paralleled by the appearance of induced resistance to a subsequent challenge with tobacco mosaic virus. The results suggest that UV light, ozone fumigation and tobacco mosaic virus can activate a common signal-transduction pathway that leads to SA and PR-protein accumulation and increased disease resistance.

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Abbreviations

PR protein:

pathogenesis-related protein

SA:

salicylic acid

TMV:

tobacco mosaic virus

UV:

ultraviolet

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Author notes

  1. Nasser Yalpani

    Present address: Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Plant Breeding Division, 7300 N.W. 62nd Ave., P.O. Box 1004, 50131, Johnston, IA, USA

  2. Alexander J. Enyedi

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, 49008-3899, Kalamazoo, MI, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AgBiotech Center, Cook College, Rutgers University, 08903-0231, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    Nasser Yalpani, Alexander J. Enyedi, Jose León & Ilya Raskin

Authors
  1. Nasser Yalpani
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  2. Alexander J. Enyedi
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  3. Jose León
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  4. Ilya Raskin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ilya Raskin.

Additional information

This work was financed by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Competitive Research Grants Office), Division of Energy Biosciences of U.S. Department of Energy, the Rockefeller Foundation, the New Jersey Commission for Science and Technology, and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Yalpani, N., Enyedi, A.J., León, J. et al. Ultraviolet light and ozone stimulate accumulation of salicylic acid, pathogenesis-related proteins and virus resistance in tobacco. Planta 193, 372–376 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201815

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201815

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