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Perception of soft mechanical stress in Arabidopsis leaves activates disease resistance.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In a previous study we have shown that wounding of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves induces a strong and transient immunity to Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of grey mould. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed within minutes after wounding and are required for wound-induced resistance to B. cinerea. RESULTS: In this study, we have further explored ROS and resistance to B. cinerea in leaves of A. thaliana exposed to a soft form of mechanical stimulation without overt tissue damage. After gentle mechanical sweeping of leaf surfaces, a strong resistance to B. cinerea was observed. This was preceded by a rapid change in calcium concentration and a release of ROS, accompanied by changes in cuticle permeability, induction of the expression of genes typically associated with mechanical stress and release of biologically active diffusates from the surface. This reaction to soft mechanical stress (SMS) was fully independent of jasmonate (JA signaling). In addition, leaves exposed soft mechanical stress released a biologically active product capable of inducing resistance to B. cinerea in wild type control leaves. CONCLUSION: Arabidopsis can detect and convert gentle forms of mechanical stimulation into a strong activation of defense against the virulent fungus B. cinerea.

SUBMITTER: Benikhlef L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3848705 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Perception of soft mechanical stress in Arabidopsis leaves activates disease resistance.

Benikhlef Lehcen L L'Haridon Floriane F Abou-Mansour Eliane E Serrano Mario M Binda Matteo M Costa Alex A Lehmann Silke S Métraux Jean-Pierre JP

BMC plant biology 20130913

<h4>Background</h4>In a previous study we have shown that wounding of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves induces a strong and transient immunity to Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of grey mould. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed within minutes after wounding and are required for wound-induced resistance to B. cinerea.<h4>Results</h4>In this study, we have further explored ROS and resistance to B. cinerea in leaves of A. thaliana exposed to a soft form of mechanical stimulation without overt t ...[more]

PMID: 24033927

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Project description:Drought is a critical environmental stress that limits growth and development of plants and reduces crop productivity. The aerial part of land plants is covered with cuticular waxes to minimize water loss. To understand the regulatory mechanisms underlying cuticular wax biosynthesis in Arabidopsis under drought stress conditions, we characterized the role of an AP2/DREB type transcription factor, RAP2.4. RAP2.4 expression was detected in one-week-old seedlings and rosette leaves, stems, stem epidermis, cauline leaves, buds, flowers, and siliques of 6-week-old Arabidopsis. The levels of RAP2.4 transcripts increased with treatments of abscisic acid (ABA), mannitol, NaCl, and drought stress. Under drought, total wax loads decreased by approximately 11% and 10%, and in particular, the levels of alkanes, which are a major wax component, decreased by approximately 11% and 12% in rap2.4-1 and rap2.4-2 leaves, respectively, compared with wild type (WT) leaves. Moreover, the transcript levels of cuticular wax biosynthetic genes, KCS2 and CER1, decreased by approximately 15-23% and 32-40% in rap2.4-1 and rap2.4-2 leaves, respectively, relative to WT 4 h after drought treatment, but increased by 2- to 12-fold and 3- to 70-fold, respectively, in three independent RAP2.4 OX leaves relative to WT. Epicuticular wax crystals were observed on the leaves of RAP2.4 OX plants, but not on the leaves of WT. Total wax loads increased by 1.5- to 3.3-fold in leaves of RAP2.4 OX plants relative to WT. Cuticular transpiration and chlorophyll leaching occurred slowly in the leaves of RAP2.4 OX plants relative to WT. Transcriptional activation assay in tobacco protoplasts showed that RAP2.4 activates the expression of KCS2 and CER1 through the involvement of the consensus CCGAC or GCC motifs present in the KCS2 and CER1 promoter regions. Overall, our results revealed that RAP2.4 is a transcription factor that activates cuticular wax biosynthesis in Arabidopsis leaves under drought stress conditions.

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Perception of soft mechanical stress in Arabidopsis leaves activates disease resistance.

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Perception of soft mechanical stress in Arabidopsis leaves activates disease resistance.

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