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Roots drive oligogalacturonide-induced systemic immunity in tomato
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  • Jordi Gamir,
  • Zhivko Minchev,
  • Estefania Berrio,
  • Juan M. Garcia,
  • Giulia De Lorenzo,
  • Maria Pozo
Jordi Gamir
Universitat Jaume I

Corresponding Author:jgamir@uji.es

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Zhivko Minchev
Koppert
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Estefania Berrio
Estación Experimental del Zaidin, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
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Juan M. Garcia
Estación Experimental del Zaidín
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Giulia De Lorenzo
Sapienza University of Rome
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Maria Pozo
Estación Experimental del Zaidín
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Abstract

Oligogalacturonides (OGs) are fragments of pectin released from the plant cell wall during insect or pathogen attack. They can be perceived by the plant as damage signals, triggering local and systemic defence responses. Here, we analyse the dynamics of local and systemic responses to OG perception in tomato roots or shoots, exploring their impact across the plant and their relevance in pathogen resistance. Targeted and untargeted metabolomics and gene expression analysis in plants treated with purified OGs revealed that local responses were transient, while distal responses were stronger and more sustained. Remarkably, changes were more conspicuous in roots, even upon foliar application of the OGs. The treatments differentially activated the synthesis of defence-related hormones and secondary metabolites including flavonoids, alkaloids and lignans, some of them exclusively synthetized in roots. Finally, the biological relevance of the systemic defence responses activated upon OG perception was confirmed, as the treatment induced systemic resistance to Botrytis cinerea. Overall, this study shows the differential regulation of tomato defences upon OGs perception in roots and shoots and reveal the key role of roots in the coordination of the plant responses to damage sensing.
Jan 2021Published in Plant, Cell & Environment volume 44 issue 1 on pages 275-289. 10.1111/pce.13917