Terrence P. Delaney

A central role of salicylic Acid in plant disease resistance.

Transgenic tobacco and Arabidopsis thaliana expressing the bacterial enzyme salicylate hydroxylase cannot accumulate salicylic acid (SA). This defect not only makes the plants unable to induce systemic acquired resistance, but also leads to increased susceptibility to viral, fungal, and bacterial pathogens. The enhanced susceptibility extends even to host-pathogen combinations that would normally result in genetic resistance. Therefore, SA accumulation is essential for expression of multiple modes of plant disease resistance.

The complete genome sequence of the Arabidopsis and tomato pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000

We report the complete genome sequence of the model bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato DC3000 (DC3000), which is pathogenic on tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana. The DC3000 genome (6.5 megabases) contains a circular chromosome and two plasmids, which collectively encode 5,763 ORFs. We identified 298 established and putative virulence genes, including several clusters of genes encoding 31 confirmed and 19 predicted type III secretion system effector proteins. Many of the virulence genes were members of paralogous families and also were proximal to mobile elements, which collectively comprise 7% of the DC3000 genome. The bacterium possesses a large repertoire of transporters for the acquisition of nutrients, particularly sugars, as well as genes implicated in attachment to plant surfaces. Over 12% of the genes are dedicated to regulation, which may reflect the need for rapid adaptation to the diverse environments encountered during epiphytic growth and pathogenesis. Comparative analyses confirmed a high degree of similarity with two sequenced pseudomonads, Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yet revealed 1,159 genes unique to DC3000, of which 811 lack a known function.

Arabidopsis mutants simulating disease resistance response

We describe six Arabidopsis mutants, defining at least four loci, that spontaneously form necrotic lesions on leaves. Lesions resemble those resulting from disease, but occur in the absence of pathogen. In five mutants, lesion formation correlates with expression of histochemical and molecular markers of plant disease resistance responses and with expression of genes activated during development of broad disease resistance in plants (systemic acquired resistance [SAR]). We designate this novel mutant class Isd (for lesions simulating disease resistance response). Strikingly, four Isd mutants express substantial resistance to virulent fungal pathogen isolates. Isd mutants vary in cell type preferences for lesion onset and spread. Lesion formation can be conditional and can be induced specifically by biotic and chemical activators of SAR in Isd1 mutants.

Arabidopsis SON1 Is an F-Box Protein That Regulates a Novel Induced Defense Response Independent of Both Salicylic Acid and Systemic Acquired Resistance

One of several induced defense responses in plants is systemic acquired resistance (SAR), which is regulated by salicylic acid and in Arabidopsis by the NIM1/NPR1 protein. To identify additional components of the SAR pathway or other genes that regulate SAR-independent resistance, we performed genetic suppressor screens of mutagenized nim1-1 seedlings, which are highly susceptible to infection by Peronospora parasitica. We isolated the son1 (suppressor of nim1-1) mutant, which shows full restoration of pathogen resistance without the induction of SAR-associated genes and expresses resistance when combined with a salicylate hydroxylase (nahG) transgene. These features indicate that son1-mediated resistance is distinct from SAR. Resistance is effective against both the virulent oomycete Peronospora and the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato strain DC3000. We cloned SON1 and found it to encode a novel protein containing an F-box motif, an element found within the specificity determinant in the E3 ubiquitin-ligase complex. We propose the existence of a novel defense response that is independent of SAR and negatively regulated in Arabidopsis by SON1 through the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway.

Abnormal Callose Response Phenotype and Hypersusceptibility to Peronospora parasitica in Defense-Compromised Arabidopsis nim1-1 and Salicylate Hydroxylase-Expressing Plants

To investigate the impact of induced host defenses on the virulence of a compatible Peronospora parasitica strain on Arabidopsis thaliana, we examined growth and development of this pathogen in nim1-1 mutants and transgenic salicylate hydroxylase plants. These plants are unable to respond to or accumulate salicylic acid (SA), respectively, are defective in expression of systemic acquired resistance (SAR), and permit partial growth of some normally avirulent pathogens. We dissected the P. parasitica life cycle into nine stages and compared its progression through these stages in the defense-compromised hosts and in wild-type plants. NahG plants supported the greatest accumulation of pathogen biomass and conidiophore production, followed by nim1-1 and then wild-type plants. Unlike the wild type, NahG and nim1-1 plants showed little induction of the SAR gene PR-1 after colonization with P parasitica, which is similar to our previous observations. We examined the frequency and morphology of callose deposits around parasite haustoria and found significant differences between the three hosts. NahG plants showed a lower fraction of haustoria surrounded by thick callose encasements and a much higher fraction of haustoria with callose limited to thin collars around haustorial necks compared to wild type, whereas nim1-1 plants were intermediate between NahG and wild type. Chemical induction of SAR in plants colonized by P. parasitica converted the extrahaustorial callose phenotype in NahG to resemble closely the wild-type pattern, but had no effect on nim1-1 plants. These results suggest that extrahaustorial callose deposition is influenced by the presence or lack of SA and that this response may be sensitive to the NIM1/NPR1 pathway. Additionally, the enhanced susceptibility displayed by nim1-1 and NahG plants shows that even wild-type susceptible hosts exert defense functions that reduce disease severity and pathogen fitness.

Recent advances in systemic acquired resistance research: a review

Little is known about the signal transduction events that lead to the establishment of the broad-spectrum, inducible plant immunity called systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Salicylic acid (SA) accumulation has been shown to be essential for the expression of SAR and plays a key role in SAR signaling. Hydrogen peroxide has been proposed to serve as a second messenger of SA. However, our results do not support such a role in the establishment of SAR. Further elucidation of SAR signal transduction has been facilitated by the identification and characterization of mutants. The lesions simulating disease (lsd). resistance response mutant class exhibits spontaneous lesions similar to those that occur during the hypersensitive response. Interestingly, some lsd mutants lose their lesioned phenotype when SA accumulation is prevented by expression of the nahG gene (encoding salicylate hydroxylase), thereby providing evidence for a feedback loop in SAR signal transduction. Characterization of a mutant non-responsive to SAR activator treatments has provided additional evidence for common signaling components between SAR and gene-for-gene resistance.

Salicylate-Independent Lesion Formation in Arabidopsis lsd Mutants

In many interactions of plants with pathogens, the primary host defense reaction is accompanied by plant cell death at the site of infection. The resulting lesions are correlated with the establishment of an inducible resistance in plants called systemic acquired resistance (SAR), for which salicylic acid (SA) accumulation is a critical signaling event in Arabidopsis and tobacco. In Arabidopsis, the lesions simulating disease (lsd) mutants spontaneously develop lesions in the absence of pathogen infection. Furthermore, lsd mutants express SAR marker genes when lesions are present and are resistant to the same spectrum of pathogens as plants activated for SAR by necrogenic pathogen infection. To assess the epistatic relationship between SA accumulation and cell death, transgenic Arabidopsis unable to accumulate SA due to the expression of the salicylate hydroxylase (nahG) gene were used in crosses with the dominant mutants lsd2 or lsd4. Progeny from the crosses were inhibited for SAR gene expression and disease resistance. However, these progeny retained the spontaneous cell death phenotype similar to siblings not expressing nahG. Because lesions form in the absence of SA accumulation for isd2 and lsd4, a model is suggested in which lesion formation in these two mutants is determined prior to SA accumulation in SAR signal transduction. By contrast, the loss of SAR gene expression and disease resistance in nahG-expressing lsd mutants indicates that these traits are dependent upon SA accumulation in the SAR signal transduction pathway.

Evidence that the Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae hrp-linked hrmA gene encodes an Avr-like protein that acts in an hrp-dependent manner within tobacco cells.

A 25-kb DNA region, previously cloned from Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 61 in cosmid pHIR11, enables nonpathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli to elicit the hypersensitive response (HR) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). hrmA is located within this region, adjacent to a conserved cluster of hrp genes, and is essential for nonpathogens to elicit the HR. DNA sequence analysis suggested that hrmA was the second of two genes in an operon and was preceded by an open reading frame (ORF), ORF1, which is predicted to encode a 10.9-kDa protein. DNA gel blot analysis revealed that sequences hybridizing with a DNA fragment internal to hrmA were absent from P. syringae pv. syringae B728a, P. syringae pv. tabaci 11528, and P. syringae pv. glycinea race 4 U1, but present in P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000. A 2.4-kb BamHI-AvrII fragment carrying hrmA, ORF1, and native regulatory sequences was subcloned into broad-host-range vector pDSK519 and electroporated into P. syringae pv. syringae B728a and P. syringae pv. tabaci 11528. The presence of the hrmA locus had no apparent effect on the ability of P. syringae pv. syringae B728a to cause brown spot of bean, but it caused P. syringae pv. tabaci 11528 to elicit the defense-associated HR rather than disease in N. tabacum cvs. Xanthi N and Xanthi NC and N. clevelandii. Furthermore, N. debeyii, N. glutinosa, N. rustica, and N. tabacum cvs. Petit Havana and Samsun responded with the HR to P. fluorescens(pHIR11). In contrast, N. benthamiana-P. syringae pv. tabaci interactions were unaffected by the presence of HrmA, and P. fluorescens(pHIR11) did not elicit the HR in N. benthamiana. The hrmA ORF was subcloned into pFLAG-CTC, which expressed HrmA with a C-terminal FLAG synthetic epitope fusion. Escherichia coli MC4100 cells carrying the functional hrp cluster and the hrmA-FLAG derivative secreted the HrpZ harpin, but not HrmA-FLAG, to the medium, as indicated by immunoblot analysis with M2 anti-FLAG and polyclonal anti-HrpZ antibodies. The hrmA ORF was also subcloned into plant expression vector pFF19 and then biolistically delivered, along with pFF19G (expressing beta-glucuronidase), into suspension-cultured tobacco cells. Histochemical staining 24 h later revealed substantial beta-glucuronidase activity in cells receiving pFF19G and pFF19 but not in those receiving pFF19G and pFF19-HrmA. Thus, internal production of HrmA was deleterious to tobacco cells.

Salicylic Acid and NIM1/NPR1-Independent Gene Induction by Incompatible Peronospora parasitica in Arabidopsis

To identify pathogen-induced genes distinct from those involved in systemic acquired resistance, we used cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism to examine RNA levels in Arabidopsis thaliana wild type, nim1-1, and salicylate hydroxylase-expressing plants after inoculation with an incompatible isolate of the downy mildew pathogen Peronospora parasitica. Fifteen genes are described, which define three response profiles on the basis of whether their induction requires salicylic acid (SA) accumulation and NIM1/NPR1 activity, SA alone, or neither. Sequence analysis shows that the genes include a calcium binding protein related to TCH3, a protein containing ankyrin repeats and potential transmembrane domains, three glutathione S-transferase gene family members, and a number of small, putatively secreted proteins. We further characterized this set of genes by assessing their expression patterns in each of the three plant lines after inoculation with a compatible P. parasitica isolate and after treatment with the SA analog 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid. Some of the genes within subclasses showed different requirements for SA accumulation and NIM1/NPR1 activity, depending upon which elicitor was used, indicating that those genes were not coordinately regulated and that the regulatory pathways are more complex than simple linear models would indicate.