Inactivation of the lipoxygenase ZmLOX3 increases susceptibility of maize to Aspergillus spp

Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2009 Feb;22(2):222-31. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-22-2-0222.

Abstract

Plant and fungal lipoxygenases (LOX) catalyze the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, creating fatty-acid hydroperoxides (oxylipins). Fungal oxylipins are required for normal fungal development and secondary metabolism, and plant host-derived oxylipins interfere with these processes in fungi, presumably by signal mimicry. The maize LOX gene ZmLOX3 has been implicated previously in seed-Aspergillus interactions, so we tested the interactions of a mutant maize line (lox3-4, in which ZmLOX3 is disrupted) with the mycotoxigenic seed-infecting fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus nidulans. The lox3-4 mutant was more susceptible than wild-type maize to both Aspergillus species. All strains of A. flavus and A. nidulans produced more conidia and aflatoxin (or the precursor sterigmatocystin) on lox3-4 kernels than on wild-type kernels, in vitro and under field conditions. Although oxylipins did not differ detectably between A. flavus-infected kernels of the lox3-4 and wild-type (WT) maize, oxylipin precursors (free fatty acids) and a downstream metabolite (jasmonic acid) accumulated to greater levels in lox3-4 than in WT kernels. The increased resistance of the lox3-4 mutant to other fungal pathogens (Fusarium, Colletotrichum, Cochliobolus, and Exserohilum spp.) is in sharp contrast to results described herein for Aspergillus spp., suggesting that outcomes of LOX-governed host-pathogen interactions are pathogen-specific.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aflatoxins / biosynthesis
  • Aspergillus / growth & development
  • Aspergillus / physiology*
  • Cyclopentanes / analysis
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Fatty Acids / analysis
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Lipoxygenase / genetics*
  • Lipoxygenase / metabolism
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Oxylipins / analysis
  • Oxylipins / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Spores, Fungal / enzymology
  • Sterigmatocystin / biosynthesis
  • Zea mays / enzymology*
  • Zea mays / microbiology*

Substances

  • Aflatoxins
  • Cyclopentanes
  • Fatty Acids
  • Oxylipins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Sterigmatocystin
  • jasmonic acid
  • Lipoxygenase