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Systemin Regulates Both Systemic and Volatile Signaling in Tomato Plants

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Abstract

The prevailing reaction of plants to pest attack is the activation of various defense mechanisms. In tomato, several studies indicate that an 18 amino acid (aa) peptide, called systemin, is a primary signal for the systemic induction of direct resistance against plant-chewing pests, and that the transgenic expression of the prosystemin gene (encoding the 200 aa systemin precursor) activates genes involved in the plant response to herbivores. By using a combination of behavioral, chemical, and gene expression analyses, we report that systemin enhances the production of bioactive volatile compounds, increases plant attractivity towards parasitiod wasps, and activates genes involved in volatile production. Our data imply that systemin is involved in the systemic activation of indirect defense in tomato, and we conclude that a single gene controls the systemic activation of coordinated and associated responses against pests.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Clarence Ryan (Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University) for providing the seeds and useful suggestions during manuscript preparation and Adele Cataldo for technical support. This work was supported by Ministero dell’Università e Ricerca Scientifica (PRIN 2004, MIUR Progetto n. 32 Regioni Obiettivo 1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo della Pianta e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, 80055, Portici, Naples, Italy

    G. Corrado, M. Pasquariello, P. Cascone & R. Rao

  2. Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Università n. 133, 80055, Portici, Naples, Italy

    R. Sasso & E. Guerrieri

  3. Dipartimento di Entomologia e Zoologia Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Via Università n. 100, 80055, Portici, Naples, Italy

    L. Iodice & M. C. Digilio

  4. IDROCONS Srl, Strada Savonesa n. 9, PST, Rivalta Scrivia, Tortona, Alessandria, 15050, Italy

    A. Carretta

  5. Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Sezione Farmacologia e Tossicologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Piazza Botta n. 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    L. Ariati

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  1. G. Corrado
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  8. M. C. Digilio
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  9. E. Guerrieri
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  10. R. Rao
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to E. Guerrieri or R. Rao.

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G. Corrado and R. Sasso contributed equally to the work

Appendix

Appendix

Standards Used for the Identification of Volatiles Collected by Air-entrainment of Head Space from BB and BBS Plants in Alphabetical Order

(+) longifolene, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, 3-carene, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, anisole-p-allyl, camphor, chlorobenzene, cis-nerolidol, decane, dodecene, eucalyptol, eugenol, hexanal, humulene (=α-caryophyllene), linalool, methyl salicilate, menthol, ocimene, p-cymene, p-dichlorobenzene (IS), phellandrene, R(+) limonene, S(−) limonene, skatol, terpinolene, trans-caryophyllene, trans-nerolidol, trans-β-farnesene, α-copaene, α-cubebene, α-gurjunene, α-pinene, α-terpinene, α-terpineol, β-myrcene, γ-terpinene

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Corrado, G., Sasso, R., Pasquariello, M. et al. Systemin Regulates Both Systemic and Volatile Signaling in Tomato Plants. J Chem Ecol 33, 669–681 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9254-9

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