Open AccessSubcellular targeting of an evolutionarily conserved plant defensin M t D ef4.2 determines the outcome of plant–pathogen interaction in transgenic A rabidopsis
Author(s) -
Kaur Jagdeep,
Thokala Mercy,
RobertSeilaniantz Alexandre,
Zhao Patrick,
Peyret Hadrien,
Berg Howard,
Pandey Sona,
Jones Jonathan,
Shah Dilip
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
molecular plant pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.945
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1364-3703
pISSN - 1464-6722
DOI - 10.1111/j.1364-3703.2012.00813.x
Subject(s) - oomycete , biology , arabidopsis , medicago truncatula , arabidopsis thaliana , pseudomonas syringae , microbiology and biotechnology , heterologous expression , in silico , pathogen , genetics , gene , mutant , bacteria , symbiosis , recombinant dna
Summary The M edicago truncatula gene encoding an evolutionarily conserved antifungal defensin M t D ef4.2 was cloned and characterized. I n silico expression analysis indicated that M t D ef4.2 is expressed in many tissues during the normal growth and development of M . truncatula . M t D ef4.2 exhibits potent broad‐spectrum antifungal activity against various F usarium spp . Transgenic A rabidopsis thaliana lines in which M t D ef4.2 was targeted to three different subcellular compartments were generated. These lines were tested for resistance to the obligate biotrophic oomycete H yaloperonospora arabidopsidis N oco2 and the hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen F usarium graminearum PH ‐1. M t D ef4.2 directed to the extracellular space, but not to the vacuole or retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, conferred robust resistance to H . arabidopsidis . Siliques of transgenic A rabidopsis lines expressing either extracellularly or intracellularly targeted M t D ef4.2 displayed low levels of resistance to F . graminearum , but accumulated substantially reduced levels of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol. The data presented here suggest that extracellularly targeted M t D ef4.2 is sufficient to provide strong resistance to the biotrophic oomycete, consistent with the extracellular lifestyle of this pathogen. However, the co‐expression of extracellular and intracellular M t D ef4.2 is probably required to achieve strong resistance to the hemibiotrophic pathogen F . graminearum which grows extracellularly and intracellularly.