The cell wall protein fraction (CWP) is purified from the non-pathogenic biocontrol agent Pythium oligandrum and is composed of two glycoproteins (POD-1 and POD-2), which are structurally similar to class III elicitins. In tomato plants treated with CWP, jasmonic acid (JA)- and ethylene (ET)-dependent signaling pathways are activated, and resistance to Ralstonia solanaceraum is enhanced. To dissect CWP-induced defense mechanisms, we investigated defense gene expression and resistance to bacterial pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Col-0 treated with CWP. When the leaves of Col-0 were infiltrated with CWP, neither visible necrosis nor salicylic acid (SA)-responsive gene (PR-1 and PR-5) expression was induced. In contrast, JA-responsive gene (PDF1.2 and JR2) expression was up-regulated and the resistance to R. solanaceraum and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 was enhanced in response to CWP. Such CWP-induced defense responses were completely compromised in CWP-treated coi1-1 and jar1-1 mutants with an impaired JA signaling pathway. The induction of defense-related gene expression after CWP treatment was partially compromised in ET-insensitive ein2-1 mutants, but not in SA signaling mutants or nahG transgenic plants. Global gene expression analysis using cDNA array also suggested that several other JA- and ET-responsive genes, but not SA-responsive genes, were up-regulated in response to CWP. Further analysis of CWP-induced defense responses using another eight mutants with impaired defense signaling pathways indicated that, interestingly, the induction of JA-responsive gene expression and enhanced resistance to two bacterial pathogens in response to CWP were completely compromised in rar1-1, rar1-21, sgt1a-1, sgt1b (edm1) and npr1-1 mutants. Thus, the CWP-induced defense system appears to be regulated by JA-mediated and SGT1-, RAR1- and NPR1-dependent signaling pathways.