scholarly journals Clavibacter michiganensis Downregulates Photosynthesis and Modifies Monolignols Metabolism Revealing a Crosstalk with Tomato Immune Responses

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (16) ◽  
pp. 8442
Author(s):  
Dikran Tsitsekian ◽  
Gerasimos Daras ◽  
Konstantina Karamanou ◽  
Dimitris Templalexis ◽  
Konstantinos Koudounas ◽  
...  

The gram-positive pathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) causes bacterial canker disease in tomato, affecting crop yield and fruit quality. To understand how tomato plants respond, the dynamic expression profile of host genes was analyzed upon Cmm infection. Symptoms of bacterial canker became evident from the third day. As the disease progressed, the bacterial population increased in planta, reaching the highest level at six days and remained constant till the twelfth day post inoculation. These two time points were selected for transcriptomics. A progressive down-regulation of key genes encoding for components of the photosynthetic apparatus was observed. Two temporally separated defense responses were observed, which were to an extent interdependent. During the primary response, genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway were diverted towards the synthesis of monolignols away from S-lignin. In dicots, lignin polymers mainly consist of G- and S-units, playing an important role in defense. The twist towards G-lignin enrichment is consistent with previous findings, highlighting a response to generate an early protective barrier and to achieve a tight interplay between lignin recomposition and the primary defense response mechanism. Upon progression of Cmm infection, the temporal deactivation of phenylpropanoids coincided with the upregulation of genes that belong in a secondary response mechanism, supporting an elegant reprogramming of the host transcriptome to establish a robust defense apparatus and suppress pathogen invasion. This high-throughput analysis reveals a dynamic reorganization of plant defense mechanisms upon bacterial infection to implement an array of barriers preventing pathogen invasion and spread.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Battiston ◽  
Stéphane Compant ◽  
Livio Antonielli ◽  
Vincenzo Mondello ◽  
Christophe Clément ◽  
...  

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are a serious and growing threat to vineyards worldwide. The need for innovative control tools persists since pesticides used against some GTDs have been banned and only methods to prevent infections or to reduce foliar symptoms have been developed so far. In this context, the application of imaging methods, already applied to study plant–microbe interactions, represents an interesting approach to understand the effect of experimental treatments applied to reduce fungal colonization, on GTD-related pathogens activity. To this aim, trials were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of copper-based treatments, formulated with hydroxyapatite (HA) as co-adjuvant with innovative delivery properties, loaded with two different copper(II) compounds (tribasic sulfate and sulfate pentahydrate), and applied to grapevine propagation material to inhibit fungal wood colonization. The treated rootstock (Vitis berlandieri × Vitis riparia cv. K5BB) and scion cuttings (Vitis vinifera L., cv. Chardonnay) had been inoculated with a strain of Phaeoacremonium minimum (Pmi) compared to uninoculated rootstocks. Experimental treatments were applied during the water-soaking process, comparing the copper(II) compounds pure or formulated with HA, to hydrate the cuttings. After callusing, grafted vines were grown under greenhouse conditions in a nursery and inoculated with Pmi::gfp7 or with Pmi wild-type. Fifteen weeks post-inoculation, woody tissues close to the inoculation site were sampled to evaluate the efficiency of the treatments by studying the plant–microbe interaction by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Copper and further elements were also quantified in the same tissues immediately after the treatments and on the CLSM samples. Finally, the grapevine defense responses were studied in the leaves of cuttings treated with the same formulations. The present investigation confirmed the relevant interaction of Pmi and the related transformed strain on the vascular tissues of grafted vines. Furthermore, in vitro assay revealed (i) the fungistatic effect of HA and the reduced effect of Cu fungicide when combined with HA. In planta assays showed (ii) the reduction of Pmi infection in propagation material treated with HA-Cu formulations, (iii) the movement of HA-Cu formulations inside the plant tissues and their persistence over time, and (iv) the plant defense reaction following the treatment with pure HA or Cu, or combined.


Author(s):  
Gireesh Rajashekara ◽  
Loic Deblais ◽  
Sally A Miller

We investigated whether the co-occurrence of phytopathogens ( Clavibacter michiganensis  subsp.  michiganensis [ Cmm ] and  Xanthomonas gardneri  [ Xg ]) frequently encountered in tomato production and  Salmonella   enterica  subsp.  enterica  serotype Typhimurium (JSG626) affects the persistence of these pathogens in tomato plant tissues during the early stages of plant growth .  We observed that  Cmm  increased the persistence of  Salmonella  Typhimurium JSG626 (up to 1.8-log CFU/plant at 21 days post-inoculation; DPI) from co-inoculated tomato plants compared to plants inoculated with  S.  Typhimurium JSG626 alone (P<0.05).  Xg  had no effect on  S.  Typhimurium JSG626 persistence  in planta . The increased persistence of  S.  Typhimurium JSG626 was also observed when it was inoculated seven days after  Cmm  inoculation of the same plant tissues (P<0.05). On the other hand,  S.  Typhimurium JSG626 reduced the population of both  Cmm  and  Xg  (up to 1.5-log CFU/plant at 21DPI; P<0.05) in co-inoculated plants group compared to plants inoculated with  Cmm  or  Xg  alone. Further, the  Xg  population increased (1.16-log CFU/plant at 21DPI; P<0.05) when  S.  Typhimurium JSG626 was inoculated seven days after  Xg  inoculation compared to plants inoculated with  Xg  alone. Our findings demonstrate that the type of phytopathogen present in the phyllosphere and inoculation time influence the persistence of  S.  Typhimurium JSG626 and its interactions with phytopathogens co-colonized  in planta . Further,  Salmonella  seems to reduce the phytopathogen load in planta , while  Cmm  enhances the persistence of  Salmonella  from the co-inoculated plant tissues; however, further investigations are needed to understand mechanisms behind these interactions.


Author(s):  
Sheetal M Bhosle ◽  
Ragiba Makandar

Abstract Comparative transcriptome analysis of E. pisi-infected pea (Pisum sativum) genotypes JI-2480 (resistant) and Arkel (susceptible) at 72 hours post inoculation (hpi) was carried to detect molecular components involved in compatible and incompatible interactions. Differential gene expression was observed in Arkel and JI-2480 genotype at 72 hpi with E. pisi isolate (Ep01) using EdgeR software. Out of 32 217 transcripts, 2755 transcripts showed significantly altered gene expression in case of plants while 530 were related to E. pisi (P < 0.05). High transcript number of differentially expressed genes demonstrated peak activity of pathogenicity genes in planta at 72 hpi. Glycolysis was observed to be the major pathway for energy source during fungal growth. Differential gene expression of plant transcripts revealed significant expression of putative receptor and regulatory sequences involved in defense in the resistant, JI-2480 compared to susceptible, Arkel genotype. Expression of genes involved in defense and hormonal signaling, genes related to hypersensitive response, reactive oxygen species and phenylpropanoid pathway in JI-2480 indicated their crucial role in disease resistance against E. pisi. Down-regulation of transcription factors like-WRKY-28 and up-regulation of several putative pattern recognition receptors in JI-2480 compared to Arkel also suggested activation of host-mediated defense responses against E. pisi in pea.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie D Lackus ◽  
Axel Schmidt ◽  
Jonathan Gershenzon ◽  
Tobias G Köllner

AbstractBenzenoids (C6–C1 aromatic compounds) play important roles in plant defense and are often produced upon herbivory. Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) produces a variety of volatile and nonvolatile benzenoids involved in various defense responses. However, their biosynthesis in poplar is mainly unresolved. We showed feeding of the poplar leaf beetle (Chrysomela populi) on P. trichocarpa leaves led to increased emission of the benzenoid volatiles benzaldehyde, benzylalcohol, and benzyl benzoate. The accumulation of salicinoids, a group of nonvolatile phenolic defense glycosides composed in part of benzenoid units, was hardly affected by beetle herbivory. In planta labeling experiments revealed that volatile and nonvolatile poplar benzenoids are produced from cinnamic acid (C6–C3). The biosynthesis of C6–C1 aromatic compounds from cinnamic acid has been described in petunia (Petunia hybrida) flowers where the pathway includes a peroxisomal-localized chain shortening sequence, involving cinnamate-CoA ligase (CNL), cinnamoyl-CoA hydratase/dehydrogenase (CHD), and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (KAT). Sequence and phylogenetic analysis enabled the identification of small CNL, CHD, and KAT gene families in P. trichocarpa. Heterologous expression of the candidate genes in Escherichia coli and characterization of purified proteins in vitro revealed enzymatic activities similar to those described in petunia flowers. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the CNL subfamily in gray poplar (Populus x canescens) resulted in decreased emission of C6–C1 aromatic volatiles upon herbivory, while constitutively accumulating salicinoids were not affected. This indicates the peroxisomal β-oxidative pathway participates in the formation of volatile benzenoids. The chain shortening steps for salicinoids, however, likely employ an alternative pathway.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 4224
Author(s):  
Urban Kunej ◽  
Jernej Jakše ◽  
Sebastjan Radišek ◽  
Nataša Štajner

RNA interference is an evolutionary conserved mechanism by which organisms regulate the expression of genes in a sequence-specific manner to modulate defense responses against various abiotic or biotic stresses. Hops are grown for their use in brewing and, in recent years, for the pharmaceutical industry. Hop production is threatened by many phytopathogens, of which Verticillium, the causal agent of Verticillium wilt, is a major contributor to yield losses. In the present study, we performed identification, characterization, phylogenetic, and expression analyses of three Argonaute, two Dicer-like, and two RNA-dependent RNA polymerase genes in the susceptible hop cultivar Celeia and the resistant cultivar Wye Target after infection with Verticillium nonalfalfae. Phylogeny results showed clustering of hop RNAi proteins with their orthologues from the closely related species Cannabis sativa, Morus notabilis and Ziziphus jujuba which form a common cluster with species of the Rosaceae family. Expression analysis revealed downregulation of argonaute 2 in both cultivars on the third day post-inoculation, which may result in reduced AGO2-siRNA-mediated posttranscriptional gene silencing. Both cultivars may also repress ta-siRNA biogenesis at different dpi, as we observed downregulation of argonaute 7 in the susceptible cultivar on day 1 and downregulation of RDR6 in the resistant cultivar on day 3 after inoculation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2435
Author(s):  
Marzia Beccaccioli ◽  
Manuel Salustri ◽  
Valeria Scala ◽  
Matteo Ludovici ◽  
Andrea Cacciotti ◽  
...  

Fusarium verticillioides causes multiple diseases of Zea mays (maize) including ear and seedling rots, contaminates seeds and seed products worldwide with toxic chemicals called fumonisins. The role of fumonisins in disease is unclear because, although they are not required for ear rot, they are required for seedling diseases. Disease symptoms may be due to the ability of fumonisins to inhibit ceramide synthase activity, the expected cause of lipids (fatty acids, oxylipins, and sphingolipids) alteration in infected plants. In this study, we explored the impact of fumonisins on fatty acid, oxylipin, and sphingolipid levels in planta and how these changes affect F. verticillioides growth in maize. The identity and levels of principal fatty acids, oxylipins, and over 50 sphingolipids were evaluated by chromatography followed by mass spectrometry in maize infected with an F. verticillioides fumonisin-producing wild-type strain and a fumonisin-deficient mutant, after different periods of growth. Plant hormones associated with defense responses, i.e., salicylic and jasmonic acid, were also evaluated. We suggest that fumonisins produced by F. verticillioides alter maize lipid metabolism, which help switch fungal growth from a relatively harmless endophyte to a destructive necrotroph.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3747
Author(s):  
Matthaios Mathioudakis ◽  
Souheyla Khechmar ◽  
Carolyn Owen ◽  
Vicente Medina ◽  
Karima Ben Mansour ◽  
...  

Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) is a mechanically-transmitted tomato pathogen of importance worldwide. Interactions between the PepMV coat protein and triple gene block protein (TGBp1) with the host heat shock cognate protein 70 and catalase 1 (CAT1), respectively, have been previously reported by our lab. In this study, a novel tomato interactor (SlTXND9) was shown to bind the PepMV TGBp1 in yeast-two-hybrid screening, in vitro pull-down and bimolecular fluorescent complementation (BiFC) assays. SlTXND9 possesses part of the conserved thioredoxin (TRX) active site sequence (W__PC vs. WCXPC), and TXND9 orthologues cluster within the TRX phylogenetic superfamily closest to phosducin-like protein-3. In PepMV-infected and healthy Nicotiana benthamiana plants, NbTXND9 mRNA levels were comparable, and expression levels remained stable in both local and systemic leaves for 10 days post inoculation (dpi), as was also the case for catalase 1 (CAT1). To localize the TXND9 in plant cells, a polyclonal antiserum was produced. Purified α-SlTXND9 immunoglobulin (IgG) consistently detected a set of three protein bands in the range of 27–35 kDa, in the 1000 and 30,000 g pellets, and the soluble fraction of extracts of healthy and PepMV-infected N. benthamiana leaves, but not in the cell wall. These bands likely consist of the homologous protein NbTXND9 and its post-translationally modified derivatives. On electron microscopy, immuno-gold labelling of ultrathin sections of PepMV-infected N. benthamiana leaves using α-SlTXND9 IgG revealed particle accumulation close to plasmodesmata, suggesting a role in virus movement. Taken together, this study highlights a novel tomato-PepMV protein interaction and provides data on its localization in planta. Currently, studies focusing on the biological function of this interaction during PepMV infection are in progress.


2008 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Czesław Ślusarski

Attempts at Biological Control ofClavibacter michiganensissubsp.michiganensisOn Rockwool-Grown Greenhouse TomatoesTwo greenhouse experiments were conducted in which tomato plants artificially inoculated withClavibacter michiganensissubsp.michiganensis(Cmm) were grown in an open rockwool system as spring and autumn crops. Two isolates of the rhizosphere bacteria,Pseudomonas fluorescensstrain PSR21,Pseudomonas reactansstrain GGS14, a commercial biocontrol agent Aqua Bac Plus (Bacillusspp.) and a proprietary disinfectant containing QAC+Chx, applied at weekly intervals, were evaluated for their efficiency in the suppression of the bacterial canker of tomato. All treatments tested revealed to be ineffective in controlling the disease. The introduction ofCmmbacteria into the fresh rockwool in the first year of its usage resulted in a 100% death of tomato plants, whereas following an artificial inoculation of two- and three-year-old rockwool slabs withCmmbacteria dead plants amounted to 70 and 58%, respectively. This indicates that in the re-used rockwool a natural microbial suppressiveness to bacterial canker of tomato might be developed in the root zone.


Plant Disease ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 649-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ftayeh ◽  
A. von Tiedemann ◽  
B. Koopmann ◽  
K. Rudolph ◽  
M. Abu-Ghorrah

Between March and mid April of 2007, several extensive surveys for Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis were carried out among greenhouses in the coastal strip provinces of the Mediterranean Sea in north-west Syria (Latakia and Tartous), where a large proportion of Syrian fresh-market tomatoes are produced. This bacterium causes bacterial canker of tomato and is considered an A2 quarantine pathogen by the European Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). It is currently present in all major tomato-production areas in the EPPO region (4), but has not been previously reported in Syria. The survey revealed typical canker symptoms in 7% of 150 inspected greenhouses that contained cvs. Dima, Huda, and Astona. These symptoms included stunting, dark brown-to-black lesions on the leaf margins, wilting and defoliation of whole plants, and vascular discoloration. The disease incidence in such greenhouses was estimated at 15% at the time of the survey. Diseased plants were surface sterilized and homogenized in sterile water. Serial dilutions were plated on nutrient glucose agar. Suspected colonies were further purified by repeated restreaking on new agar plates. All 10 of the suspected strains obtained from different locations were identified as C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis on the basis of the following observations: bacterial cells of all strains had a coryneform shape, were nonmotile, gram positive according to Gram's reaction test with 3% KOH (2), oxidase-negative, and caused hypersensitive reactions on leaves of Mirabilis jalaba (1) within 24 h. PCR assays were conducted with the C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis-specific primer set PSA-4/R (3) and template DNA prepared from in-vitro-grown bacteria with the MasterPure Gram Positive DNA Purification Kit (Epicentre Biotechnologies, Madison, WI). The expected 270-bp amplicon was observed for both reference strains as well as the Syrian strains. Pathogenicity of the strains was confirmed by artificial inoculation of 6-week-old tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Lyconorma). Inoculation was performed by stabbing the stem with a sterile needle through a drop (~35 μl) of bacterial suspension (~108 CFU/ml in 0.01 M MgSO4) placed in the axil of the second or third true leaf. Three tomato seedlings were inoculated with each strain. Control plants were inoculated with sterile 0.01 M MgSO4. Symptoms including lateral wilt of leaflets, stem lesions, and wilting of whole plants were observed within 10 to 15 days after inoculation, except for the negative control. To fulfill Koch's postulates, reisolation and reidentification of the pathogen was conducted as previously described. To our knowledge, this is the first record of the occurrence of bacterial canker of tomato in Syria. References: (1) R. D. Gitaitis. Plant Dis. 74:58, 1990. (2) T. J. Gregersen. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 5:123, 1978. (3) K. H. Pastrik and F. A. Rainey. J. Phytopathol. 147:687, 1999. (4) I. M. Smith and L. M. F. Charles, eds. Map 253 in: Distribution Maps of Quarantine Pests for Europe. EPPO/CABI, 1998.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 724
Author(s):  
Trang Minh Tran ◽  
Maarten Ameye ◽  
Sofie Landschoot ◽  
Frank Devlieghere ◽  
Sarah De Saeger ◽  
...  

Fusarium ear rot (FER) caused by Fusarium verticillioides is one of the main fungal diseases in maize worldwide. To develop a pathogen-tailored FER resistant maize line for local implementation, insights into the virulence variability of a residing F. verticillioides population are crucial for developing customized maize varieties, but remain unexplored. Moreover, little information is currently available on the involvement of the archetypal defense pathways in the F. verticillioides–maize interaction using local isolates and germplasm, respectively. Therefore, this study aims to fill these knowledge gaps. We used a collection of 12 F. verticillioides isolates randomly gathered from diseased maize fields in the Vietnamese central highlands. To assess the plant’s defense responses against the pathogens, two of the most important maize hybrid genotypes grown in this agro-ecological zone, lines CP888 and Bt/GT NK7328, were used. Based on two assays, a germination and an in-planta assay, we found that line CP888 was more susceptible to the F. verticillioides isolates when compared to line Bt/GT NK7328. Using the most aggressive isolate, we monitored disease severity and gene expression profiles related to biosynthesis pathways of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), benzoxazinoids (BXs), and pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs). As a result, a stronger induction of SA, JA, ABA, BXs, and PRs synthesizing genes might be linked to the higher resistance of line Bt/GT NK7328 compared to the susceptible line CP888. All these findings could supply valuable knowledge in the selection of suitable FER resistant lines against the local F. verticllioides population and in the development of new FER resistant germplasms.


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