The diversity of salicylic acid biosynthesis and defense signaling in plants: Knowledge gaps and future opportunities

Chhana Ullah; Yen-Ho Chen; María A Ortega; Chung-Jui Tsai

doi:10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102349

The diversity of salicylic acid biosynthesis and defense signaling in plants: Knowledge gaps and future opportunities

Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2023 Apr:72:102349. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102349. Epub 2023 Feb 24.

Authors

Chhana Ullah¹, Yen-Ho Chen², María A Ortega³, Chung-Jui Tsai⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745, Jena, Germany.
² Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
³ Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
⁴ Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Electronic address: cjtsai@uga.edu.

PMID: 36842224
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102349

Abstract

The phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) is known to regulate plant immunity against pathogens. Plants synthesize SA via the isochorismate synthase (ICS) pathway or the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) pathway. The ICS pathway has been fully characterized using Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant that exhibits pathogen-inducible SA accumulation. Many species including Populus (poplar) depend instead on the partially understood PAL pathway for constitutive as well as pathogen-stimulated SA synthesis. Diversity of SA-mediated defense is also evident in SA accumulation, redox regulation, and interplay with other hormones like jasmonic acid. This review highlights the contrast between Arabidopsis and poplar, discusses potential drivers of SA diversity in plant defenses, and offers future research directions.

Keywords: Pathogen defense; Populus; Redox signaling; SA-JA synergism; Salicylic acid biosynthesis; Thioredoxin.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Arabidopsis* / genetics
Arabidopsis* / metabolism
Cyclopentanes / metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Oxylipins
Plant Diseases
Plant Growth Regulators
Plants* / metabolism
Salicylic Acid / metabolism
Signal Transduction

Substances

Plant Growth Regulators
Salicylic Acid
Cyclopentanes
Oxylipins