A subset of hypersensitive response marker genes, including HSR203J, is the downstream target of a spermine signal transduction pathway in tobacco

Plant J. 2004 Nov;40(4):586-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2004.02234.x.

Abstract

A cellular signal transduction pathway induced by the polyamine, spermine (Spm), and transmitted by mitochondrial dysfunction is proposed in tobacco. In this investigation, we further resolve the pathway by identifying a subset of hypersensitive response (HR) marker genes as downstream components. In a previous report, we identified harpin-induced 1 (HIN1) and two closely related genes as responsive to Spm. Other HR marker genes, HSR203J, HMGR, HSR201, and HSR515, are also Spm-responsive. Induction of these HR marker genes, including HIN1, by Spm was suppressed by pre-treatment with antioxidants, calcium channel blockers, inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition pore openings, and blockers of amine oxidase/polyamine oxidase. Such quenching is also observed for Spm-induced activation of two mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), salicylic acid-induced protein kinase (SIPK), and wound-induced protein kinase (WIPK), and upregulation of the WIPK gene, suggesting that all these components are part of the same signaling pathway. Furthermore, gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies on MAPK cascade members reveal that the expression of Spm-induced HR marker genes varies with respect to involvement of SIPK/WIPK activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Esterases / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects
  • Genes, Plant*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nicotiana / drug effects
  • Nicotiana / genetics*
  • Nicotiana / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Spermine / physiology*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Plant Proteins
  • Spermine
  • Esterases
  • hsr203J protein, Nicotiana tabacum