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Molecular aspects of plant responses to pathogens

  • Plant Responses To Pathogens
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Abstract

Plants respond to infection by accumulating many compounds some of which may function in disease resistance. These include: phytoalexins, antifungal proteins, chitinases, glucanases, esterases, proteaes, phospholipases, lipoxygenases, ribonucleases, peroxidases, phenoloxidases, lignin, callose, hydroxyproline and glycine-rich glycoproteins, phenolic cross-linked polysachcarides, melanin-like pigments, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, peptides, oligosaccharides, hydrogen peroxide and active oxygen species. Though specific avirulence genes, elicitors and elicitor receptors have been reported, the production of defense-related compounds is nonspecific and can be elicited by pathogens, pathogen products and many organics and inorganics. The molecular implications of this specificity/nonspecificity and their significance to disease resistance and practical disease control will be discussed.

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    Joseph Kuć

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Kuć, J. Molecular aspects of plant responses to pathogens. Acta Physiol Plant 19, 551–559 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-997-0053-2

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