Expression of Pumpkin CmbHLH87 Gene Improves Powdery Mildew Resistance in Tobacco
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
Authors: Guo, Wei-Li; Chen, Bi-Hua; Guo, Yan-Yan; Chen, Xue-Jin; Li, Qing-Fei; Yang, He-Lian; Li, Xin-Zheng; Zhou, Jun-Guo; Wang, Guang-Yin
Abstract
Powdery mildew (PM), caused by Podosphaera xanthii, is a major threat to the global cucurbit yield. The molecular mechanisms underlying the PM resistance of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) are largely unknown. A homolog of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor was previously identified through a transcriptomic analysis of a PM-resistant pumpkin. In this study, this bHLH homolog in pumpkin has been functionally characterized. CmbHLH87 is present in the nucleus. CmbHLH87 expression in the PM-resistant material was considerably downregulated by PM; and abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate, ethephon, and NaCl treatments induced CmbHLH87 expression. Ectopic expression of CmbHLH87 in tobacco plants alleviated the PM symptoms on the leaves, accelerated cell necrosis, and enhanced H2O2 accumulation. The expression levels of PR1a, PR5, and NPR1 were higher in the PM-infected transgenic plants than in PM-infected wild-type plants. Additionally, the chlorosis and yellowing of plant materials were less extensive and the concentration of bacteria at infection sites was lower in the transgenic tobacco plants than in the wild-type plants in response to bacterial wilt and scab pathogens. CmbHLH87 may be useful for genetic engineering of novel pumpkin cultivars in the future.
Knockout ofSlNPR1enhances tomato plants resistance againstBotrytis cinereaby modulatingROShomeostasis andJA/ETsignaling pathways
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
Authors: Li, Rui; Wang, Liu; Li, Yujing; Zhao, Ruirui; Zhang, Yuelin; Sheng, Jiping; Ma, Peihua; Shen, Lin
Abstract
Tomato is one of the most popular horticultural crops, and many commercial tomato cultivars are particularly susceptible toBotrytis cinerea.Non-expressor of pathogenesis-related gene 1(NPR1) is a critical component of the plant defense mechanisms. However, our understanding of howSlNPR1influences disease resistance in tomato is still limited. In this study, two independentslnpr1mutants were used to study the role ofSlNPR1in tomato resistance againstB. cinerea. Compared to (WT),slnpr1leaves exhibited enhanced resistance againstB. cinereawith smaller lesion sizes, higher activities of chitinase (CHI), beta-1, 3-glucanases (GLU) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and significantly increased expressions ofpathogenesis-related genes(PRs). The increased activities of peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and decreased catalase (CAT) activities collectively regulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis inslnpr1mutants. The integrity of the cell wall inslnpr1mutants was maintained. Moreover, the enhanced resistance was further reflected by induction of defense genes involved in jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) signaling pathways. Taken together, these findings revealed that knocking outSlNPR1resulted in increased activities of defense enzymes, changes in ROS homeostasis and integrity of cell walls, and activation of JA and ET pathways, which confers resistance againstB. cinereain tomato plants.