Abstract
Potato plants treated with the pathogen-associated molecular pattern Pep-13 mount salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-dependent defense responses, leading to enhanced resistance against Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight disease. Recognition of Pep-13 is assumed to occur by binding to a yet unknown plasma membrane-localized receptor kinase. The potato genes annotated to encode the co-receptor BAK1, StSERK3A and StSERK3B, are activated in response to Pep-13 treatment. Transgenic RNAi-potato plants with reduced expression of both SERK3A and SERK3B were generated. In response to Pep-13 treatment, the formation of reactive oxygen species and MAP kinase activation, observed in wild type plants, is highly reduced in StSERK3A/B-RNAi plants, suggesting that StSERK3A/B are required for perception of Pep-13 in potato. In contrast, defense gene expression is induced by Pep-13 in both control and StSERK3A/B-depleted plants. Altered morphology of StSERK3A/B-RNAi plants correlates with major shifts in metabolism, as determined by untargeted metabolite profiling. Enhanced levels of hydroxycinnamic acid amides, typical phytoalexins of potato, in StSERK3A/B-RNAi plants are accompanied by significantly decreased levels of flavonoids and steroidal glycoalkaloids. Thus, altered metabolism in StSERK3A/B-RNAi plants correlates with the ability of StSERK3A/B-depleted plants to mount defense, despite highly decreased early immune responses.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Alkaloids / immunology
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Alkaloids / metabolism
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Amides / immunology
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Amides / metabolism
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Coumaric Acids / immunology
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Coumaric Acids / metabolism
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Cyclopentanes / immunology
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Cyclopentanes / metabolism
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Disease Resistance / genetics
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Flavonoids / immunology
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Flavonoids / metabolism
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Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / immunology*
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Isoenzymes / antagonists & inhibitors
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Isoenzymes / genetics
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Isoenzymes / immunology
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Metabolome / genetics
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Metabolome / immunology
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Oxylipins / immunology
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Oxylipins / metabolism
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Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules / immunology
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Phytoalexins
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Phytophthora infestans / pathogenicity*
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Phytophthora infestans / physiology
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Plant Diseases / genetics
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Plant Diseases / immunology*
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Plant Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
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Plant Proteins / genetics
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Plant Proteins / immunology*
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Plants, Genetically Modified
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / immunology*
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RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
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RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
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Reactive Oxygen Species / immunology
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Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
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Receptors, Pattern Recognition / antagonists & inhibitors
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Receptors, Pattern Recognition / genetics
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Receptors, Pattern Recognition / immunology*
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Salicylic Acid / immunology
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Salicylic Acid / metabolism
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Sesquiterpenes / immunology
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Sesquiterpenes / metabolism
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Solanum tuberosum / genetics
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Solanum tuberosum / immunology*
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Solanum tuberosum / parasitology
Substances
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Alkaloids
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Amides
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Coumaric Acids
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Cyclopentanes
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Flavonoids
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Isoenzymes
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Oxylipins
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Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules
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Plant Proteins
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RNA, Small Interfering
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Reactive Oxygen Species
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Receptors, Pattern Recognition
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Sesquiterpenes
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jasmonic acid
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Salicylic Acid
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Phytoalexins