Lipid profiling of the Arabidopsis hypersensitive response reveals specific lipid peroxidation and fragmentation processes: biogenesis of pimelic and azelaic acid

Oxylipins and plant abiotic stress resistance

Oxylipins are signaling molecules formed enzymatically or spontaneously from unsaturated fatty acids in all aerobic organisms. Oxylipins regulate growth, development, and responses to environmental stimuli of organisms. The oxylipin biosynthesis pathway in plants includes a few parallel branches named after first enzyme of the corresponding branch as allene oxide synthase, hydroperoxide lyase, divinyl ether synthase, peroxygenase, epoxy alcohol synthase, and others in which various biologically active metabolites are produced. Oxylipins can be formed non-enzymatically as a result of oxygenation of fatty acids by free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Spontaneously formed oxylipins are called phytoprostanes. The role of oxylipins in biotic stress responses has been described in many published works. The role of oxylipins in plant adaptation to abiotic stress conditions is less studied; there is also obvious lack of available data compilation and analysis in this area of research. In this work we analyze data on oxylipins functions in plant adaptation to abiotic stress conditions, such as wounding, suboptimal light and temperature, dehydration and osmotic stress, and effects of ozone and heavy metals. Modern research articles elucidating the molecular mechanisms of oxylipins action by the methods of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics are reviewed here. Data on the role of oxylipins in stress signal transduction, stress-inducible gene expression regulation, and interaction of these metabolites with other signal transduction pathways in cells are described. In this review the general oxylipin-mediated mechanisms that help plants to adjust to a broad spectrum of stress factors are considered, followed by analysis of more specific responses regulated by oxylipins only under certain stress conditions. New approaches to improvement of plant resistance to abiotic stresses based on the induction of oxylipin-mediated processes are discussed.

Phytoprostanes in almonds: identification, quantification, and impact of cultivar and type of cultivation

The phytoprostane profile in 11 almonds cvs varied greatly according to the genotype and several factors (agricultural system conventional or ecological and irrigation).

Nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species are required for systemic acquired resistance in plants

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a form of broad-spectrum disease resistance that is induced in response to primary infection and that protects uninfected portions of the plant against secondary infections by related or unrelated pathogens. SAR is associated with an increase in chemical signals that operate in a collective manner to confer protection against secondary infections. These include, the phytohormone salicylic acid (SA), glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), azelaic acid (AzA) and more recently identified signals nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). NO, ROS, AzA and G3P function in the same branch of the SAR pathway, and in parallel to the SA-regulated branch. NO and ROS function upstream of AzA/G3P and different reactive oxygen species functions in an additive manner to mediate chemical cleavage of the C9 double bond on C18 unsaturated fatty acids to generate AzA. The parallel and additive functioning of various chemical signals provides important new insights in the overlapping pathways leading to SAR.

Key players of singlet oxygen-induced cell death in plants

The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an unavoidable consequence of oxygenic photosynthesis. Singlet oxygen ((1)O2) is a highly reactive species to which has been attributed a major destructive role during the execution of ROS-induced cell death in photosynthetic tissues exposed to excess light. The study of the specific biological activity of (1)O2 in plants has been hindered by its high reactivity and short lifetime, the concurrent production of other ROS under photooxidative stress, and limited in vivo detection methods. However, during the last 15 years, the isolation and characterization of two (1)O2-overproducing mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana, flu and ch1, has allowed the identification of genetically controlled (1)O2 cell death pathways and a (1)O2 acclimation pathway that are triggered at sub-cytotoxic concentrations of (1)O2. The study of flu has revealed the control of cell death by the plastid proteins EXECUTER (EX)1 and EX2. In ch1, oxidized derivatives of β-carotene, such as β-cyclocitral and dihydroactinidiolide, have been identified as important upstream messengers in the (1)O2 signaling pathway that leads to stress acclimation. In both the flu and ch1 mutants, phytohormones act as important promoters or inhibitors of cell death. In particular, jasmonate has emerged as a key player in the decision between acclimation and cell death in response to (1)O2. Although the flu and ch1 mutants show many similarities, especially regarding their gene expression profiles, key differences, such as EXECUTER-independent cell death in ch1, have also been observed and will need further investigation to be fully understood.

Signal regulators of systemic acquired resistance

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important phytohormone that plays a vital role in a number of physiological responses, including plant defense. The last two decades have witnessed a number of breakthroughs related to biosynthesis, transport, perception and signaling mediated by SA. These findings demonstrate that SA plays a crictical role in both local and systemic defense responses. Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is one such SA-dependent response. SAR is a long distance signaling mechanism that provides broad spectrum and long-lasting resistance to secondary infections throughout the plant. This unique feature makes SAR a highly desirable trait in crop production. This review summarizes the recent advances in the role of SA in SAR and discusses its relationship to other SAR inducers.

Application of glycerol as a foliar spray activates the defence response and enhances disease resistance of Theobroma cacao

Previous work has implicated glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) as a mobile inducer of systemic immunity in plants. We tested the hypothesis that the exogenous application of glycerol as a foliar spray might enhance the disease resistance of Theobroma cacao through the modulation of endogenous G3P levels. We found that exogenous application of glycerol to cacao leaves over a period of 4 days increased the endogenous level of G3P and decreased the level of oleic acid (18:1). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced (a marker of defence activation) and the expression of many pathogenesis-related genes was induced. Notably, the effects of glycerol application on G3P and 18:1 fatty acid content, and gene expression levels, in cacao leaves were dosage dependent. A 100 mm glycerol spray application was sufficient to stimulate the defence response without causing any observable damage, and resulted in a significantly decreased lesion formation by the cacao pathogen Phytophthora capsici; however, a 500 mm glycerol treatment led to chlorosis and cell death. The effects of glycerol treatment on the level of 18:1 and ROS were constrained to the locally treated leaves without affecting distal tissues. The mechanism of the glycerol-mediated defence response in cacao and its potential use as part of a sustainable farming system are discussed.

Profiling of secondary metabolites in root exudates of Arabidopsis thaliana

To explore the chemical composition of root exudates of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana a workflow for nontargeted metabolite profiling of the semipolar fraction of root exudates was developed. It comprises hydroponic plant cultivation and sampling of root exudates under sterile conditions, sample preparation by solid-phase extraction and analysis by reversed-phase UPLC/ESI-QTOFMS. Following the established workflow, root exudates of six-week-old plants were profiled and a set of reproducibly occurring molecular features was compiled. To structurally elucidate the corresponding metabolites, accurate mass tandem mass spectrometry and on-line hydrogen/deuterium exchange were applied. Currently, a total of 103 compounds were detected and annotated by elemental composition of which more than 90 were structurally characterized or classified. Among them, 42 compounds were rigorously identified using an authenticated standard. The compounds identified so far include nucleosides, deoxynucleosides, aromatic amino acids, anabolites and catabolites of glucosinolates, dipeptides, indolics, salicylic and jasmonic acid catabolites, coumarins, mono-, di- and trilignols, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and oxylipins and exemplify the high chemical diversity of plant root exudates.

Bacteria-triggered systemic immunity in barley is associated with WRKY and ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTORs but not with salicylic acid

Leaf-to-leaf systemic immune signaling known as systemic acquired resistance is poorly understood in monocotyledonous plants. Here, we characterize systemic immunity in barley (Hordeum vulgare) triggered after primary leaf infection with either Pseudomonas syringae pathovar japonica (Psj) or Xanthomonas translucens pathovar cerealis (Xtc). Both pathogens induced resistance in systemic, uninfected leaves against a subsequent challenge infection with Xtc. In contrast to systemic acquired resistance in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), systemic immunity in barley was not associated with NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES1 or the local or systemic accumulation of salicylic acid. Instead, we documented a moderate local but not systemic induction of abscisic acid after infection of leaves with Psj. In contrast to salicylic acid or its functional analog benzothiadiazole, local applications of the jasmonic acid methyl ester or abscisic acid triggered systemic immunity to Xtc. RNA sequencing analysis of local and systemic transcript accumulation revealed unique gene expression changes in response to both Psj and Xtc and a clear separation of local from systemic responses. The systemic response appeared relatively modest, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction associated systemic immunity with the local and systemic induction of two WRKY and two ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR (ERF)-like transcription factors. Systemic immunity against Xtc was further associated with transcriptional changes after a secondary/systemic Xtc challenge infection; these changes were dependent on the primary treatment. Taken together, bacteria-induced systemic immunity in barley may be mediated in part by WRKY and ERF-like transcription factors, possibly facilitating transcriptional reprogramming to potentiate immunity.

Cell-autonomous defense, re-organization and trafficking of membranes in plant-microbe interactions

Plant cells dynamically change their architecture and molecular composition following encounters with beneficial or parasitic microbes, a process referred to as host cell reprogramming. Cell-autonomous defense reactions are typically polarized to the plant cell periphery underneath microbial contact sites, including de novo cell wall biosynthesis. Alternatively, host cell reprogramming converges in the biogenesis of membrane-enveloped compartments for accommodation of beneficial bacteria or invasive infection structures of filamentous microbes. Recent advances have revealed that, in response to microbial encounters, plasma membrane symmetry is broken, membrane tethering and SNARE complexes are recruited, lipid composition changes and plasma membrane-to-cytoskeleton signaling is activated, either for pre-invasive defense or for microbial entry. We provide a critical appraisal on recent studies with a focus on how plant cells re-structure membranes and the associated cytoskeleton in interactions with microbial pathogens, nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and mycorrhiza fungi.

Mono- and digalactosyldiacylglycerol lipids function nonredundantly to regulate systemic acquired resistance in plants

The plant galactolipids monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) have been linked to the anti-inflammatory and cancer benefits of a green leafy vegetable diet in humans due to their ability to regulate the levels of free radicals like nitric oxide (NO). Here, we show that DGDG contributes to plant NO as well as salicylic acid biosynthesis and is required for the induction of systemic acquired resistance (SAR). In contrast, MGDG regulates the biosynthesis of the SAR signals azelaic acid (AzA) and glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) that function downstream of NO. Interestingly, DGDG is also required for AzA-induced SAR, but MGDG is not. Notably, transgenic expression of a bacterial glucosyltransferase is unable to restore SAR in dgd1 plants even though it does rescue their morphological and fatty acid phenotypes. These results suggest that MGDG and DGDG are required at distinct steps and function exclusively in their individual roles during the induction of SAR.

Cotton cytochrome P450 CYP82D regulates systemic cell death by modulating the octadecanoid pathway

Plant oxylipins are derived from unsaturated fatty acids and play roles in plant growth and development as well as defence. Although recent studies have revealed that fatty acid metabolism is involved in systemic acquired resistance, the precise function of oxylipins in plant defence remains unknown. Here we report a cotton P450 gene SILENCE-INDUCED STEM NECROSIS (SSN), RNAi suppression of which causes a lesion mimic phenotype. SSN is also involved in jasmonate metabolism and the response to wounding. Fatty acid and oxylipin metabolite analysis showed that SSN overexpression causes hyperaccumulation of hydroxide and ketodiene fatty acids and reduced levels of 18:2 fatty acids, whereas silencing causes an imbalance in LOX (lipoxygenase) expression and excessive hydroperoxide fatty acid accumulation. We also show that an unknown oxylipin-derived factor is a putative mobile signal required for systemic cell death and hypothesize that SSN acts as a valve to regulate HR on pathogen infection.

Oxylipin signalling is known to play important roles in plant growth, development and defence against pathogens. Here Sun et al. identify a novel cytochrome P450 in cotton and show that its suppression leads to activation of plant defence responses and alteration of oxylipin metabolism.

Quantitative profiling of oxylipins through comprehensive LC-MS/MS analysis of Fusarium verticillioides and maize kernels

Fusarium verticillioides is one of the most important fungal pathogens causing ear and stalk rot in maize, even if frequently asymptomatic, producing a harmful series of compounds named fumonisins. Plant and fungal oxylipins play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the interaction between the pathogen and its host. Moreover, oxylipins result as signals able to modulate the secondary metabolism in fungi. In keeping with this, a novel, quantitative LC-MS/MS method was designed to quantify up to 17 different oxylipins produced by F. verticillioides and maize kernels. By applying this method, we were able to quantify oxylipin production in vitro - F. verticillioides grown into Czapek-Dox/yeast extract medium amended with 0.2% w/v of cracked maize - and in vivo, i.e. during its growth on detached mature maize ears. This study pinpoints the role of oxylipins in a plant pathogen such as F. verticillioides and sets up a novel tool aimed at understanding the role oxylipins play in mycotoxigenic pathogens during their interactions with respective hosts.

Kelps feature systemic defense responses: insights into the evolution of innate immunity in multicellular eukaryotes

Brown algae are one of the few eukaryotic lineages that have evolved complex multicellularity, together with Opisthokonts (animals, fungi) and Plantae (land plants, green and red algae). In these three lineages, biotic stresses induce similar local defense reactions. Animals and land plants also feature a systemic immune response, protecting the whole organism after an attack on one of its parts. However, the occurrence of systemic defenses has never been investigated in brown algae. We elicited selected parts of the kelp Laminaria digitata and monitored distant, nonchallenged areas of the same individual for subsequent defense reactions. A systemic reaction was detected following elicitation on a distant area, including an oxidative response, an increase in haloperoxidase activities and a stronger resistance against herbivory. Based on experiments with pharmacological inhibitors, the liberation of free fatty acids is proposed to play a key role in systemic signaling, reminiscent of what is known in land plants. This study is the first report, outside the phyla of Opisthokonts and Plantae, of an intraorganism communication leading to defense reactions. These findings indicate that systemic immunity emerged independently at least three times, as a consequence of convergent evolution in multicellular eukaryotic lineages.

Arabidopsis ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 promotes systemic acquired resistance via azelaic acid and its precursor 9-oxo nonanoic acid

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a form of inducible disease resistance that depends on salicylic acid and its upstream regulator ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (EDS1). Although local Arabidopsis thaliana defence responses activated by the Pseudomonas syringae effector protein AvrRpm1 are intact in eds1 mutant plants, SAR signal generation is abolished. Here, the SAR-specific phenotype of the eds1 mutant is utilized to identify metabolites that contribute to SAR. To this end, SAR bioassay-assisted fractionation of extracts from the wild type compared with eds1 mutant plants that conditionally express AvrRpm1 was performed. Using high-performance liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrometry, systemic immunity was associated with the accumulation of 60 metabolites, including the putative SAR signal azelaic acid (AzA) and its precursors 9-hydroperoxy octadecadienoic acid (9-HPOD) and 9-oxo nonanoic acid (ONA). Exogenous ONA induced SAR in systemic untreated leaves when applied at a 4-fold lower concentration than AzA. The data suggest that in planta oxidation of ONA to AzA might be partially responsible for this response and provide further evidence that AzA mobilizes Arabidopsis immunity in a concentration-dependent manner. The AzA fragmentation product pimelic acid did not induce SAR. The results link the C9 lipid peroxidation products ONA and AzA with systemic rather than local resistance and suggest that EDS1 directly or indirectly promotes the accumulation of ONA, AzA, or one or more of their common precursors possibly by activating one or more pathways that either result in the release of these compounds from galactolipids or promote lipid peroxidation.

Free radical-mediated systemic immunity in plants

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a form of defense that protects plants against a broad-spectrum of secondary infections by related or unrelated pathogens. SAR related research has witnessed considerable progress in recent years and a number of chemical signals and proteins contributing to SAR have been identified. All of these diverse constituents share their requirement for the phytohormone salicylic acid, an essential downstream component of the SAR pathway. However, recent work demonstrating the essential parallel functioning of nitric oxide (NO)-derived and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-derived signaling together with SA provides important new insights in the overlapping pathways leading to SAR. This review discusses the potential significance of branched pathways and the relative contributions of NO/ROS-derived and SA-derived pathways in SAR.

Signaling by small metabolites in systemic acquired resistance

Plants can retain the memory of a prior encounter with a pest. This memory confers upon a plant the ability to subsequently activate defenses more robustly when challenged by a pest. In plants that have retained the memory of a prior, localized, foliar infection by a pathogen, the pathogen-free distal organs develop immunity against subsequent infections by a broad-spectrum of pathogens. The long-term immunity conferred by this mechanism, which is termed systemic acquired resistance (SAR), is inheritable over a few generations. Signaling mediated by the phenolic metabolite salicylic acid (SA) is critical for the manifestation of SAR. Recent studies have described the involvement of additional small metabolites in SAR signaling, including methyl salicylate, the abietane diterpenoid dehydroabietinal, the lysine catabolite pipecolic acid, a glycerol-3-phosphate-dependent factor and the dicarboxylic acid azelaic acid. Many of these metabolites can be systemically transported through the plant and probably facilitate communication by the primary infected tissue with the distal tissues, which is essential for the activation of SAR. Some of these metabolites have been implicated in the SAR-associated rapid activation of defenses in response to subsequent exposure to the pathogen, a mechanism termed priming. Here, we summarize the role of these signaling metabolites in SAR, and the relationship between them and SA signaling in SAR.

Formation of oxidized phosphatidylinositol and 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid containing acylated phosphatidylglycerol during the hypersensitive response in Arabidopsis

Plant membranes are composed of a wide array of polar lipids. The functionality of these extends far beyond a pure structural role. Membrane lipids function as enzyme co-factors, establish organelle identity and as substrates for enzymes such as lipases and lipoxygenases. Enzymatic degradation or oxidation (enzymatic or non-enzymatic) of membrane lipids leads to the formation of a diverse group of bioactive compounds. Plant defense reactions provoked by pathogenic microorganisms are often associated with substantial modifications of the lipidome. In this study, we profiled changes in phospholipids during the hypersensitive response triggered by recognition of the bacterial effector protein AvrRpm1 in Arabidopsis thaliana. A simple and robust LC-MS based method for profiling plant lipids was designed to separate all the major species of glycerolipids extracted from Arabidopsis leaf tissue. The method efficiently separated several isobaric and near isobaric lipid species, which otherwise are difficult to quantify in direct infusion based profiling. In addition to the previously reported OPDA-containing galactolipids found to be induced during hypersensitive response in Arabidopsis, three OPDA-containing sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol species, one phosphatidylinositol species as well as two acylated OPDA-containing phosphatidylglycerol species were found to accumulate during the hypersensitive response in Arabidopsis. Our study confirms and extends on the notion that the hypersensitive response in Arabidopsis triggers a unique profile of Allene Oxide Synthase dependent oxidation of membrane lipids. Primary targets of this oxidation seem to be uncharged and anionic lipid species.

Singlet oxygen signatures are detected independent of light or chloroplasts in response to multiple stresses

The production of singlet oxygen is typically associated with inefficient dissipation of photosynthetic energy or can arise from light reactions as a result of accumulation of chlorophyll precursors as observed in fluorescent (flu)-like mutants. Such photodynamic production of singlet oxygen is thought to be involved in stress signaling and programmed cell death. Here we show that transcriptomes of multiple stresses, whether from light or dark treatments, were correlated with the transcriptome of the flu mutant. A core gene set of 118 genes, common to singlet oxygen, biotic and abiotic stresses was defined and confirmed to be activated photodynamically by the photosensitizer Rose Bengal. In addition, induction of the core gene set by abiotic and biotic selected stresses was shown to occur in the dark and in nonphotosynthetic tissue. Furthermore, when subjected to various biotic and abiotic stresses in the dark, the singlet oxygen-specific probe Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green detected rapid production of singlet oxygen in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root. Subcellular localization of Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green fluorescence showed its accumulation in mitochondria, peroxisomes, and the nucleus, suggesting several compartments as the possible origins or targets for singlet oxygen. Collectively, the results show that singlet oxygen can be produced by multiple stress pathways and can emanate from compartments other than the chloroplast in a light-independent manner. The results imply that the role of singlet oxygen in plant stress regulation and response is more ubiquitous than previously thought.

Free radicals mediate systemic acquired resistance

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a form of resistance that protects plants against a broad spectrum of secondary infections. However, exploiting SAR for the protection of agriculturally important plants warrants a thorough investigation of the mutual interrelationships among the various signals that mediate SAR. Here, we show that nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) serve as inducers of SAR in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, genetic mutations that either inhibit NO/ROS production or increase NO accumulation (e.g., a mutation in S-nitrosoglutathione reductase [GSNOR]) abrogate SAR. Different ROS function additively to generate the fatty-acid-derived azelaic acid (AzA), which in turn induces production of the SAR inducer glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P). Notably, this NO/ROS→AzA→G3P-induced signaling functions in parallel with salicylic acid-derived signaling. We propose that the parallel operation of NO/ROS and SA pathways facilitates coordinated regulation in order to ensure optimal induction of SAR.

The onset of grapevine berry ripening is characterized by ROS accumulation and lipoxygenase-mediated membrane peroxidation in the skin

BACKGROUND

The ripening of fleshy fruits is a complex developmental program characterized by extensive transcriptomic and metabolic remodeling in the pericarp tissues (pulp and skin) making unripe green fruits soft, tasteful and colored. The onset of ripening is regulated by a plethora of endogenous signals tuned to external stimuli. In grapevine and tomato, which are classified as non-climacteric and climacteric species respectively, the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and extensive modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes at the onset of ripening has been reported, suggesting that ROS could participate to the regulatory network of fruit development. In order to investigate this hypothesis, a comprehensive biochemical study of the oxidative events occurring at the beginning of ripening in Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Noir has been undertaken.

RESULTS

ROS-specific staining allowed to visualize not only H2O2 but also singlet oxygen (1O2) in berry skin cells just before color change in distinct subcellular locations, i.e. cytosol and plastids. H2O2 peak in sample skins at véraison was confirmed by in vitro quantification and was supported by the concomitant increase of catalase activity. Membrane peroxidation was also observed by HPLC-MS on galactolipid species at véraison. Mono- and digalactosyl diacylglycerols were found peroxidized on one or both α-linolenic fatty acid chains, with a 13(S) absolute configuration implying the action of a specific enzyme. A lipoxygenase (PnLOXA), expressed at véraison and localizing inside the chloroplasts, was indeed able to catalyze membrane galactolipid peroxidation when overexpressed in tobacco leaves.

CONCLUSIONS

The present work demonstrates the controlled, harmless accumulation of specific ROS in distinct cellular compartments, i.e. cytosol and chloroplasts, at a definite developmental stage, the onset of grape berry ripening. These features strongly candidate ROS as cellular signals in fruit ripening and encourage further studies to identify downstream elements of this cascade. This paper also reports the transient galactolipid peroxidation carried out by a véraison-specific chloroplastic lipoxygenase. The function of peroxidized membranes, likely distinct from that of free fatty acids due to their structural role and tight interaction with photosynthesis protein complexes, has to be ascertained.

Chemical inducers of systemic immunity in plants

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a highly desirable form of resistance that protects against a broad-spectrum of related or unrelated pathogens. SAR involves the generation of multiple signals at the site of primary infection, which arms distal portions against subsequent secondary infections. The last decade has witnessed considerable progress, and a number of chemical signals contributing to SAR have been isolated and characterized. The diverse chemical nature of these chemicals had led to the growing belief that SAR might involve interplay of multiple diverse and independent signals. However, recent results suggest that coordinated signalling from diverse signalling components facilitates SAR in plants. This review mainly discusses organized signalling by two such chemicals, glycerol-3-phoshphate and azelaic acid, and the role of basal salicylic acid levels in G3P-conferred SAR.

Novel roles for the polyphenol oxidase enzyme in secondary metabolism and the regulation of cell death in walnut

The enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) catalyzes the oxidation of phenolic compounds into highly reactive quinones. Polymerization of PPO-derived quinones causes the postharvest browning of cut or bruised fruit, but the native physiological functions of PPOs in undamaged, intact plant cells are not well understood. Walnut (Juglans regia) produces a rich array of phenolic compounds and possesses a single PPO enzyme, rendering it an ideal model to study PPO. We generated a series of PPO-silenced transgenic walnut lines that display less than 5% of wild-type PPO activity. Strikingly, the PPO-silenced plants developed spontaneous necrotic lesions on their leaves in the absence of pathogen challenge (i.e. a lesion mimic phenotype). To gain a clearer perspective on the potential functions of PPO and its possible connection to cell death, we compared the leaf transcriptomes and metabolomes of wild-type and PPO-silenced plants. Silencing of PPO caused major alterations in the metabolism of phenolic compounds and their derivatives (e.g. coumaric acid and catechin) and in the expression of phenylpropanoid pathway genes. Several observed metabolic changes point to a direct role for PPO in the metabolism of tyrosine and in the biosynthesis of the hydroxycoumarin esculetin in vivo. In addition, PPO-silenced plants displayed massive (9-fold) increases in the tyrosine-derived metabolite tyramine, whose exogenous application elicits cell death in walnut and several other plant species. Overall, these results suggest that PPO plays a novel and fundamental role in secondary metabolism and acts as an indirect regulator of cell death in walnut.

Manipulation of methyl jasmonate esterase activity renders tomato more susceptible to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Jasmonic acid methyl ester has been discussed as a stress signal in plants. To investigate the relevance of reversible methylation of jasmonic acid, stress responses of transgenic tomato lines with altered expression and activity of methyl jasmonate esterase were analysed. No consistent changes in levels of methyl jasmonate, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid, jasmonic acid, jasmonic acid isoleucine and expression of the jasmonate-responsive genes AOC and PINII between control line and RNAi as well as overexpressing lines were detectable under basal and wound-induced conditions. In contrast, reduction as well as enhancement of methyl jasmonate esterase activity resulted in increased susceptibility to the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum despite higher levels of the hormonal active jasmonic acid isoleucine conjugate. Results suggest that methyl jasmonate esterase has a function in vivo in plant defence, which appears not to be related to its in vitro capacity to hydrolyse methyl jasmonate.

Arabidopsis lipocalins AtCHL and AtTIL have distinct but overlapping functions essential for lipid protection and seed longevity

Lipocalins are a group of multifunctional proteins, recognized as carriers of small lipophilic molecules, which have been characterized in bacteria and animals. Two true lipocalins have been recently identified in plants, the temperature-induced lipocalin (TIL) and the chloroplastic lipocalin (CHL), the expression of which is induced by various abiotic stresses. Each lipocalin appeared to be specialized in the responses to specific stress conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana, with AtTIL and AtCHL playing a protective role against heat and high light, respectively. The double mutant AtCHL KO × AtTIL KO deficient in both lipocalins was more sensitive to temperature, drought and light stresses than the single mutants, exhibiting intense lipid peroxidation. AtCHL deficiency dramatically enhanced the photosensitivity of mutants (vte1, npq1) affected in lipid protection mechanisms (tocopherols, zeaxanthin), confirming the role of lipocalins in the prevention of lipid peroxidation. Seeds of the AtCHL KO × AtTIL KO double mutant were very sensitive to natural and artificial ageing, and again this phenomenon was associated with the oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids. The presented results show that the Arabidopsis lipocalins AtTIL and AtCHL have overlapping functions in lipid protection which are essential for stress resistance and survival.

Priming of plant resistance by natural compounds. Hexanoic acid as a model

Some alternative control strategies of currently emerging plant diseases are based on the use of resistance inducers. This review highlights the recent advances made in the characterization of natural compounds that induce resistance by a priming mechanism. These include vitamins, chitosans, oligogalacturonides, volatile organic compounds, azelaic and pipecolic acid, among others. Overall, other than providing novel disease control strategies that meet environmental regulations, natural priming agents are valuable tools to help unravel the complex mechanisms underlying the induced resistance (IR) phenomenon. The data presented in this review reflect the novel contributions made from studying these natural plant inducers, with special emphasis placed on hexanoic acid (Hx), proposed herein as a model tool for this research field. Hx is a potent natural priming agent of proven efficiency in a wide range of host plants and pathogens. It can early activate broad-spectrum defenses by inducing callose deposition and the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways. Later it can prime pathogen-specific responses according to the pathogen's lifestyle. Interestingly, Hx primes redox-related genes to produce an anti-oxidant protective effect, which might be critical for limiting the infection of necrotrophs. Our Hx-IR findings also strongly suggest that it is an attractive tool for the molecular characterization of the plant alarmed state, with the added advantage of it being a natural compound.

Systemic acquired resistance (50 years after discovery): moving from the lab to the field

Induction of plant defense(s) against pathogen challenge(s) has been the object of progressively more intense research in the past two decades. Insights on mechanisms of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and similar, alternative processes, as well as on problems encountered on moving to their practical application in open field, have been carefully pursued and, as far as possible, defined. In reviewing the number of research works published in metabolomic, genetic, biochemical, and crop protection correlated disciplines, the following outline has been adopted: 1, introduction to the processes currently considered as models of the innate immunity; 2, primary signals, such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and abscisic acid (ABA), involved with different roles in the above-mentioned processes; 3, long-distance signals, identified from petiole exudates as mobile signaling metabolites during expressed resistance; 4, exogenous inducers, including the most significant chemicals known to stimulate the plant resistance induction and originated from both synthetic and natural sources; 5, fungicides shown to act as stimulators of SAR in addition to their biocidal action; 6, elusive mechanism of priming, reporting on the most recent working hypotheses on the pretranscriptional ways through which treated plants may express resistance upon pathogen attack and how this resistance can be transmitted to the next generation; 7, fitness costs and benefits of SAR so far reported from field application of induced resistance; 8, factors affecting efficacy of induced resistance in the open field, indicating that forces, unrevealed under controlled conditions, may be operative in the field; 9, concluding remarks address the efforts required to apply the strategy of crop resistance induction according to the rules of integrated pest management.

Traumatin- and dinortraumatin-containing galactolipids in Arabidopsis: their formation in tissue-disrupted leaves as counterparts of green leaf volatiles

Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) consisting of six-carbon aldehydes, alcohols, and their esters, are biosynthesized through the action of fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), which uses fatty acid hydroperoxides as substrates. GLVs form immediately after disruption of plant leaf tissues by herbivore attacks and mechanical wounding and play a role in defense against attackers that attempt to invade through the wounds. The fates and the physiological significance of the counterparts of the HPL reaction, the 12/10-carbon oxoacids that are formed from 18/16-carbon fatty acid 13-/11-hydroperoxides, respectively, are largely unknown. In this study, we detected monogalactosyl diacylglycerols (MGDGs) containing the 12/10-carbon HPL products in disrupted leaf tissues of Arabidopsis, cabbage, tobacco, tomato, and common bean. They were identified as an MGDG containing 12-oxo-9-hydroxy-(E)-10-dodecenoic acid and 10-oxo-7-hydroxy-(E)-8-decenoic acid and an MGDG containing two 12-oxo-9-hydroxy-(E)-10-dodecenoic acids as their acyl groups. Analyses of Arabidopsis mutants lacking HPL indicated that these MGDGs were formed enzymatically through an active HPL reaction. Thus, our results suggested that in disrupted leaf tissues, MGDG-hydroperoxides were cleaved by HPL to form volatile six-carbon aldehydes and non-volatile 12/10-carbon aldehyde-containing galactolipids. Based on these results, we propose a novel oxylipin pathway that does not require the lipase reaction to form GLVs.

Fatty acids and early detection of pathogens

Early in interactions between plants and pathogens, plants recognize molecular signatures in microbial cells, triggering a form of immunity that may help resist infection and colonization by pathogens. Diverse molecules provide these molecular signatures, called pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), including proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids. Before and concurrent with the onset of PAMP-triggered immunity, there are alterations in plant membrane lipid composition, modification of membrane fluidity through desaturase-mediated changes in unsaturated fatty acid levels, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic genesis of bioactive lipid mediators such as oxylipins. These complex lipid changes produce a myriad of potential molecular signatures that are beginning to be found to have key roles in the regulation of transcriptional networks. Further, research on fatty acid action in various biological contexts, including plant-pathogen interactions and stress network signaling, is needed to fully understand fatty acids as regulatory signals that transcend their established role in membrane structure and function.

Systemic signaling during plant defense

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a type of pathogen-induced broad-spectrum resistance in plants. During SAR, primary infection-induced rapid generation and transportation of mobile signal(s) 'prepare' the rest of the plant for subsequent infections. Several, seemingly unrelated, mobile chemical inducers of SAR have been identified, at least two of which function in a feed-back regulatory loop with a lipid transfer-like protein. Signal(s) perception in the systemic tissues relies on the presence of an intact cuticle, the waxy layer covering all aerial parts of the plant. SAR results in chromatin modifications, which prime systemic tissues for enhanced and rapid signaling derived from salicylic acid, which along with its signaling components is key for SAR induction. This review summarizes recent findings related to SAR signal generation, movement, and perception.

Proteomic and phytohormone analysis of the response of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings to sugarcane mosaic virus

Background

Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) is an important virus pathogen in crop production, causing serious losses in grain and forage yields in susceptible cultivars. Control strategies have been developed, but only marginal successes have been achieved. For the efficient control of this virus, a better understanding of its interactions and associated resistance mechanisms at the molecular level is required.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The responses of resistant and susceptible genotypes of maize to SCMV and the molecular basis of the resistance were studied using a proteomic approach based on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS/MS) analysis. Ninety-six protein spots showed statistically significant differences in intensity after SCMV inoculation. The classification of differentially expressed proteins showed that SCMV-responsive proteins were mainly involved in energy and metabolism, stress and defense responses, and photosynthesis. Most of the proteins identified were located in chloroplasts, chloroplast membranes, and the cytoplasm. Analysis of changes in phytohormone levels after virus inoculation suggested that salicylic acid, abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, and azelaic acid may played important roles in the maize response to SCMV infection.

Conclusions/Significance

Among these identified proteins, 19 have not been identified previously as virus-responsive proteins, and seven were new and did not have assigned functions. These proteins may be candidate proteins for future investigation, and they may present new biological functions and play important roles in plant-virus interactions. The behavioural patterns of the identified proteins suggest the existence of defense mechanisms operating during the early stages of infection that differed in two genotypes. In addition, there are overlapping and specific phytohormone responses to SCMV infection between resistant and susceptible maize genotypes. This study may provide important insights into the molecular events during plant responses to virus infection.

Constitutively elevated salicylic acid levels alter photosynthesis and oxidative state but not growth in transgenic populus

Salicylic acid (SA) has long been implicated in plant responses to oxidative stress. SA overproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to dwarfism, making in planta assessment of SA effects difficult in this model system. We report that transgenic Populus tremula × alba expressing a bacterial SA synthase hyperaccumulated SA and SA conjugates without negative growth consequences. In the absence of stress, endogenously elevated SA elicited widespread metabolic and transcriptional changes that resembled those of wild-type plants exposed to oxidative stress-promoting heat treatments. Potential signaling and oxidative stress markers azelaic and gluconic acids as well as antioxidant chlorogenic acids were strongly coregulated with SA, while soluble sugars and other phenylpropanoids were inversely correlated. Photosynthetic responses to heat were attenuated in SA-overproducing plants. Network analysis identified potential drivers of SA-mediated transcriptome rewiring, including receptor-like kinases and WRKY transcription factors. Orthologs of Arabidopsis SA signaling components NON-EXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES1 and thioredoxins were not represented. However, all members of the expanded Populus nucleoredoxin-1 family exhibited increased expression and increased network connectivity in SA-overproducing Populus, suggesting a previously undescribed role in SA-mediated redox regulation. The SA response in Populus involved a reprogramming of carbon uptake and partitioning during stress that is compatible with constitutive chemical defense and sustained growth, contrasting with the SA response in Arabidopsis, which is transient and compromises growth if sustained.

Jasmonates: biosynthesis, perception, signal transduction and action in plant stress response, growth and development. An update to the 2007 review in Annals of Botany

BACKGROUND

Jasmonates are important regulators in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses as well as in development. Synthesized from lipid-constituents, the initially formed jasmonic acid is converted to different metabolites including the conjugate with isoleucine. Important new components of jasmonate signalling including its receptor were identified, providing deeper insight into the role of jasmonate signalling pathways in stress responses and development.

SCOPE

The present review is an update of the review on jasmonates published in this journal in 2007. New data of the last five years are described with emphasis on metabolites of jasmonates, on jasmonate perception and signalling, on cross-talk to other plant hormones and on jasmonate signalling in response to herbivores and pathogens, in symbiotic interactions, in flower development, in root growth and in light perception.

CONCLUSIONS

The last few years have seen breakthroughs in the identification of JASMONATE ZIM DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins and their interactors such as transcription factors and co-repressors, and the crystallization of the jasmonate receptor as well as of the enzyme conjugating jasmonate to amino acids. Now, the complex nature of networks of jasmonate signalling in stress responses and development including hormone cross-talk can be addressed.

Jasmonates: biosynthesis, perception, signal transduction and action in plant stress response, growth and development. An update to the 2007 review in Annals of Botany

BACKGROUND

Jasmonates are important regulators in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses as well as in development. Synthesized from lipid-constituents, the initially formed jasmonic acid is converted to different metabolites including the conjugate with isoleucine. Important new components of jasmonate signalling including its receptor were identified, providing deeper insight into the role of jasmonate signalling pathways in stress responses and development.

SCOPE

The present review is an update of the review on jasmonates published in this journal in 2007. New data of the last five years are described with emphasis on metabolites of jasmonates, on jasmonate perception and signalling, on cross-talk to other plant hormones and on jasmonate signalling in response to herbivores and pathogens, in symbiotic interactions, in flower development, in root growth and in light perception.

CONCLUSIONS

The last few years have seen breakthroughs in the identification of JASMONATE ZIM DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins and their interactors such as transcription factors and co-repressors, and the crystallization of the jasmonate receptor as well as of the enzyme conjugating jasmonate to amino acids. Now, the complex nature of networks of jasmonate signalling in stress responses and development including hormone cross-talk can be addressed.

A feedback regulatory loop between G3P and lipid transfer proteins DIR1 and AZI1 mediates azelaic-acid-induced systemic immunity

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR), a highly desirable form of plant defense, provides broad-spectrum immunity against diverse pathogens. The recent identification of seemingly unrelated chemical inducers of SAR warrants an investigation of their mutual interrelationships. We show that SAR induced by the dicarboxylic acid azelaic acid (AA) requires the phosphorylated sugar derivative glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P). Pathogen inoculation induced the release of free unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) and thereby triggered AA accumulation, because these FAs serve as precursors for AA. AA accumulation in turn increased the levels of G3P, which is required for AA-conferred SAR. The lipid transfer proteins DIR1 and AZI1, both of which are required for G3P- and AA-induced SAR, were essential for G3P accumulation. Conversely, reduced G3P resulted in decreased AZI1 and DIR1 transcription. Our results demonstrate that an intricate feedback regulatory loop among G3P, DIR1, and AZI1 regulates SAR and that AA functions upstream of G3P in this pathway.

Lipoxygenase6-dependent oxylipin synthesis in roots is required for abiotic and biotic stress resistance of Arabidopsis

Jasmonates are oxylipin signals that play important roles in the development of fertile flowers and in defense against pathogens and herbivores in leaves. The aim of this work was to understand the synthesis and function of jasmonates in roots. Grafting experiments with a jasmonate-deficient mutant demonstrated that roots produce jasmonates independently of leaves, despite low expression of biosynthetic enzymes. Levels of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid, jasmonic acid, and its isoleucine derivative increased in roots upon osmotic and drought stress. Wounding resulted in a decrease of preformed 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid concomitant with an increase of jasmonic acid and jasmonoyl-isoleucine. 13-Lipoxygenases catalyze the first step of lipid oxidation leading to jasmonate production. Analysis of 13-lipoxygenase-deficient mutant lines showed that only one of the four 13-lipoxygenases, LOX6, is responsible and essential for stress-induced jasmonate accumulation in roots. In addition, LOX6 was required for production of basal 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid in leaves and roots. Loss-of-function mutants of LOX6 were more attractive to a detritivorous crustacean and more sensitive to drought, indicating that LOX6-derived oxylipins are important for the responses to abiotic and biotic factors.

Long-distance communication and signal amplification in systemic acquired resistance

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is an inducible defense mechanism in plants that confers enhanced resistance against a variety of pathogens. SAR is activated in the uninfected systemic (distal) organs in response to a prior (primary) infection elsewhere in the plant. SAR is associated with the activation of salicylic acid (SA) signaling and the priming of defense responses for robust activation in response to subsequent infections. The activation of SAR requires communication by the primary infected tissues with the distal organs. The vasculature functions as a conduit for the translocation of factors that facilitate long-distance intra-plant communication. In recent years, several metabolites putatively involved in long-distance signaling have been identified. These include the methyl ester of SA (MeSA), the abietane diterpenoid dehydroabietinal (DA), the dicarboxylic acid azelaic acid (AzA), and a glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P)-dependent factor. Long-distance signaling by some of these metabolites also requires the lipid-transfer protein DIR1 (DEFECTIVE IN INDUCED RESISTANCE 1). The relative contribution of these factors in long-distance signaling is likely influenced by environmental conditions, for example light. In the systemic leaves, the AGD2-LIKE DEFENSE RESPONSE PROTEIN1 (ALD1)-dependent production of the lysine catabolite pipecolic acid (Pip), FLAVIN-DEPENDENT MONOOXYGENASE1 (FMO1) signaling, as well as SA synthesis and downstream signaling are required for the activation of SAR. This review summarizes the involvement and interaction between long-distance SAR signals and details the recently discovered role of Pip in defense amplification and priming that allows plants to acquire immunity at the systemic level. Recent advances in SA signaling and perception are also highlighted.

Centrality of host cell death in plant-microbe interactions

Programmed cell death (PCD) is essential for proper growth, development, and cellular homeostasis in all eukaryotes. The regulation of PCD is of central importance in plant-microbe interactions; notably, PCD and features associated with PCD are observed in many host resistance responses. Conversely, pathogen induction of inappropriate cell death in the host results in a susceptible phenotype and disease. Thus, the party in control of PCD has a distinct advantage in these battles. PCD processes appear to be of ancient origin, as indicated by the fact that many features of cell death strategy are conserved between animals and plants; however, some of the details of death execution differ. Mammalian core PCD genes, such as caspases, are not present in plant genomes. Similarly, pro- and antiapoptotic mammalian regulatory elements are absent in plants, but, remarkably, when expressed in plants, successfully impact plant PCD. Thus, subtle structural similarities independent of sequence homology appear to sustain operational equivalence. The vacuole is emerging as a key organelle in the modulation of plant PCD. Under different signals for cell death, the vacuole either fuses with the plasmalemma membrane or disintegrates. Moreover, the vacuole appears to play a key role in autophagy; evidence suggests a prosurvival function for autophagy, but other studies propose a prodeath phenotype. Here, we describe and discuss what we know and what we do not know about various PCD pathways and how the host integrates signals to activate salicylic acid and reactive oxygen pathways that orchestrate cell death. We suggest that it is not cell death as such but rather the processes leading to cell death that contribute to the outcome of a given plant-pathogen interaction.

Long-distance communication and signal amplification in systemic acquired resistance

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is an inducible defense mechanism in plants that confers enhanced resistance against a variety of pathogens. SAR is activated in the uninfected systemic (distal) organs in response to a prior (primary) infection elsewhere in the plant. SAR is associated with the activation of salicylic acid (SA) signaling and the priming of defense responses for robust activation in response to subsequent infections. The activation of SAR requires communication by the primary infected tissues with the distal organs. The vasculature functions as a conduit for the translocation of factors that facilitate long-distance intra-plant communication. In recent years, several metabolites putatively involved in long-distance signaling have been identified. These include the methyl ester of SA (MeSA), the abietane diterpenoid dehydroabietinal (DA), the dicarboxylic acid azelaic acid (AzA), and a glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P)-dependent factor. Long-distance signaling by some of these metabolites also requires the lipid-transfer protein DIR1 (DEFECTIVE IN INDUCED RESISTANCE 1). The relative contribution of these factors in long-distance signaling is likely influenced by environmental conditions, for example light. In the systemic leaves, the AGD2-LIKE DEFENSE RESPONSE PROTEIN1 (ALD1)-dependent production of the lysine catabolite pipecolic acid (Pip), FLAVIN-DEPENDENT MONOOXYGENASE1 (FMO1) signaling, as well as SA synthesis and downstream signaling are required for the activation of SAR. This review summarizes the involvement and interaction between long-distance SAR signals and details the recently discovered role of Pip in defense amplification and priming that allows plants to acquire immunity at the systemic level. Recent advances in SA signaling and perception are also highlighted.

ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation and RES-activated signaling

Nonenzymatic lipid oxidation is usually viewed as deleterious. But if this is the case, then why does it occur so frequently in cells? Here we review the mechanisms of membrane peroxidation and examine the genesis of reactive electrophile species (RES). Recent evidence suggests that during stress, both lipid peroxidation and RES generation can benefit cells. New results from genetic approaches support a model in which entire membranes can act as supramolecular sinks for singlet oxygen, the predominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plastids. RES reprogram gene expression through a class II TGA transcription factor module as well as other, unknown signaling pathways. We propose a framework to explain how RES signaling promotes cell "REScue" by stimulating the expression of genes encoding detoxification functions, cell cycle regulators, and chaperones. The majority of the known biological activities of oxygenated lipids (oxylipins) in plants are mediated either by jasmonate perception or through RES signaling networks.

Reprogramming of plants during systemic acquired resistance

Genome-wide microarray analyses revealed that during biological activation of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in Arabidopsis, the transcript levels of several hundred plant genes were consistently up- (SAR(+) genes) or down-regulated (SAR(-) genes) in systemic, non-inoculated leaf tissue. This transcriptional reprogramming fully depended on the SAR regulator FLAVIN-DEPENDENT MONOOXYGENASE1 (FMO1). Functional gene categorization showed that genes associated with salicylic acid (SA)-associated defenses, signal transduction, transport, and the secretory machinery are overrepresented in the group of SAR(+) genes, and that the group of SAR(-) genes is enriched in genes activated via the jasmonate (JA)/ethylene (ET)-defense pathway, as well as in genes associated with cell wall remodeling and biosynthesis of constitutively produced secondary metabolites. This suggests that SAR-induced plants reallocate part of their physiological activity from vegetative growth towards SA-related defense activation. Alignment of the SAR expression data with other microarray information allowed us to define three clusters of SAR(+) genes. Cluster I consists of genes tightly regulated by SA. Cluster II genes can be expressed independently of SA, and this group is moderately enriched in H2O2- and abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive genes. The expression of the cluster III SAR(+) genes is partly SA-dependent. We propose that SA-independent signaling events in early stages of SAR activation enable the biosynthesis of SA and thus initiate SA-dependent SAR signaling. Both SA-independent and SA-dependent events tightly co-operate to realize SAR. SAR(+) genes function in the establishment of diverse resistance layers, in the direct execution of resistance against different (hemi-)biotrophic pathogen types, in suppression of the JA- and ABA-signaling pathways, in redox homeostasis, and in the containment of defense response activation. Our data further indicated that SAR-associated defense priming can be realized by partial pre-activation of particular defense pathways.

Pipecolic acid, an endogenous mediator of defense amplification and priming, is a critical regulator of inducible plant immunity

Metabolic signals orchestrate plant defenses against microbial pathogen invasion. Here, we report the identification of the non-protein amino acid pipecolic acid (Pip), a common Lys catabolite in plants and animals, as a critical regulator of inducible plant immunity. Following pathogen recognition, Pip accumulates in inoculated Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, in leaves distal from the site of inoculation, and, most specifically, in petiole exudates from inoculated leaves. Defects of mutants in AGD2-LIKE DEFENSE RESPONSE PROTEIN1 (ALD1) in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and in basal, specific, and β-aminobutyric acid-induced resistance to bacterial infection are associated with a lack of Pip production. Exogenous Pip complements these resistance defects and increases pathogen resistance of wild-type plants. We conclude that Pip accumulation is critical for SAR and local resistance to bacterial pathogens. Our data indicate that biologically induced SAR conditions plants to more effectively synthesize the phytoalexin camalexin, Pip, and salicylic acid and primes plants for early defense gene expression. Biological priming is absent in the pipecolate-deficient ald1 mutants. Exogenous pipecolate induces SAR-related defense priming and partly restores priming responses in ald1. We conclude that Pip orchestrates defense amplification, positive regulation of salicylic acid biosynthesis, and priming to guarantee effective local resistance induction and the establishment of SAR.