Salicylic acid-mediated cell death in the Arabidopsis len3 mutant

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2006 Jun;70(6):1447-53. doi: 10.1271/bbb.50683.

Abstract

The Arabidopsis lesion initiation 3 (len3) mutant develops lesions on leaves without pathogen attack. len3 plants exhibit stunted growth, constitutively express pathogenesis-related (PR) genes, PR-1, PR-2, and PR-5, and accumulate elevated levels of salicylic acid (SA). Furthermore, len3 is a semidominant, male gametophytic lethal mutation with partial defects in female gametophytic development. To determine the signaling pathway activated in len3 plants, we crossed the len3 plants with nahG, npr1-1, and pad4-1 plants and analyzed the phenotypes of the double mutants. The len3-conferred phenotypes, including cell death and PR-1 expressions, were suppressed in the double mutants. Thus SA, NPR1, and PAD4 are required for the phenotypes. However, none of these double mutants could completely suppress the len3-conferred stunted growth. This result suggests that an SA-, NPR1-, and PAD4-independent pathway is also involved in the phenotype. Treatment with BTH (benzo(1,2,3)thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid), an SA analog, induced cell death in len3 nahG plants but not in len3 npr1 or len3 pad4 plants, suggesting the involvement of the PAD4-dependent but SA-independent second signal pathway in cell death in len3 plants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis* / cytology
  • Arabidopsis* / drug effects
  • Arabidopsis* / genetics
  • Arabidopsis* / growth & development
  • Carboxylic Acids / pharmacology
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / genetics
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Salicylic Acid / metabolism
  • Salicylic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Thiadiazoles / pharmacology

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Carboxylic Acids
  • NPR1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Plant Proteins
  • Thiadiazoles
  • benzo(1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carboxylic acid
  • pathogenesis-related proteins, plant
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases
  • PAD4 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Salicylic Acid