Open AccessDifferential Induction of the Arabidopsis thaliana Thi2.1 Gene by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. matthiolae
Author(s) -
Petra Epple,
Alberto Vignutelli,
Klaus Apel,
Holger Bohlmann
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
molecular plant-microbe interactions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.565
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1943-7706
pISSN - 0894-0282
DOI - 10.1094/mpmi.1998.11.6.523
Subject(s) - ecotype , fusarium oxysporum , biology , arabidopsis thaliana , gene , arabidopsis , gene expression , botany , genetics , inoculation , microbiology and biotechnology , mutant , horticulture
The Arabidopsis thaliana Thi2.1 gene is inducible by necrotrophic fungi through a signal transduction pathway different from that for pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. We have identified three ecotypes that are susceptible (Col-2, Ler, and Ws) and two ecotypes that are resistant (Mt-0 and Uk-4) to spray inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. matthiolae. The Thi2.1 transcript level after infection correlates with resistance, being 5 to 10 times higher in the resistant than in the susceptible ecotypes. The β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression of a Thi2.1-promoter-uidA fusion (with a promoter derived from Col-2) is on the average almost 10 times higher in the Uk-4 background than in the Col-2 background. This confirms the results obtained by Northern (RNA) blots and indicates that Uk-4, and probably other resistant ecotypes too, might have a more sensitive recognition system for F. oxysporum f. sp. matthiolae or might have a signal transduction system that gives a higher amplification of the original recognition signal. Our results suggest a role of the Thi2.1 gene in resistance against F. oxysporum f. sp. matthiolae and perhaps other necrotrophic fungi.