Induction of senescence and identification of differentially expressed genes in tomato in response to monoterpene

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 30;8(9):e76029. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076029. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Monoterpenes, which are among the major components of plant essential oils, are known for their ecological roles as well for pharmaceutical properties. Geraniol, an acyclic monoterpene induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis/senescence in various cancer cells and plants; however, the genes involved in the process and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we demonstrate that treatment of tomato plants with geraniol results in induction of senescence due to a substantial alteration in transcriptome. We have identified several geraniol-responsive protein encoding genes in tomato using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) approach. These genes comprise of various components of signal transduction, cellular metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS), ethylene signalling, apoptosis and DNA damage response. Upregulation of NADPH oxidase and antioxidant genes, and increase in ROS level after geraniol treatment point towards the involvement of ROS in geraniol-mediated senescence. The delayed onset of seedling death and induced expression of geraniol-responsive genes in geraniol-treated ethylene receptor mutant (Nr) suggest that geraniol-mediated senescence involves both ethylene dependent and independent pathways. Moreover, expression analysis during tomato ripening revealed that geraniol-responsive genes are also associated with the natural organ senescence process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acyclic Monoterpenes
  • Cell Wall / metabolism
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Ethylenes / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects*
  • Gene Ontology
  • Molecular Structure
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Solanum lycopersicum / drug effects*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / growth & development*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / metabolism*
  • Terpenes / administration & dosage
  • Terpenes / chemistry
  • Terpenes / pharmacology*
  • Transcriptome / drug effects*

Substances

  • Acyclic Monoterpenes
  • Ethylenes
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Terpenes
  • ethylene
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • geraniol

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Department of Biotechnology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.