An avirulent tomato powdery mildew isolate induces localized acquired resistance to a virulent isolate in a spatiotemporal manner

Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2012 Mar;25(3):372-8. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-06-11-0171.

Abstract

Hypersensitive response (HR) of plant cells to the attack of pathogens induces resistance to subsequent attacks by a broad spectrum of pathogens, leading to acquired resistance. In this study, we characterized the localized acquired resistance (LAR) in the epidermal cells of tomato. First, we report the discovery of a new isolate of tomato powdery mildew occurring in Japan, KTP-02, which has a different virulence spectrum compared with the previously-characterized isolate, KTP-01. Using these two isolates, we investigated LAR phenomenon in the epidermal cells of tomato plants carrying the Ol-4 resistance gene. Ol-4 encodes a nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat protein that triggers HR in the epidermal cells in response to KTP-01 but not KTP-02. We mounted a single conidium of KTP-01 on a single tomato epidermal cell and then monitored the progress of HR in that cell by live microscopy. Once HR occurred in that cell, we mounted a single conidium of KTP-02 on cells adjacent to or at one-cell distance from the first challenged cells, in different time points. With a digital microscope, we consecutively tracked the progress of HR (i.e., induction of LAR) in those cells. Results showed that, in tomato plants carrying the Ol-4 gene, HR to KTP-01 results in induction of HR in the adjacent epidermal cells challenged with KTP-02. Our results show that LAR can be triggered only in adjacent cell layer and lasts 24 to 48 h after HR occurred in the first cell. We did not observe the reverse phenomenon, induced susceptibility to KTP-01 by KTP-02. Altogether, we report an advanced technique for investigating LAR phenomena, and provide data on spatiotemporal characteristics of LAR in tomato epidermal cells.

MeSH terms

  • Ascomycota / genetics
  • Ascomycota / immunology
  • Ascomycota / pathogenicity*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Death
  • DNA, Plant / chemistry
  • DNA, Plant / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Disease Resistance / immunology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / physiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Diseases / immunology*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Epidermis / microbiology
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Solanum lycopersicum / immunology*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Plant
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
  • Plant Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB551923