Aleksandra Boba1, Kamil Kostyn2, Bartosz Kozak2, Wioleta Wojtasik3, Marta Preisner2, Anna Prescha4, Edyta M Gola5, Dzmitry Lysh3, Barbara Dudek3, Jan Szopa2, Anna Kulma6. 1. Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland. aleksandra.boba@uwr.edu.pl. 2. Department of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Seed Production, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Plant Sciences, Plac Grunwaldzki 24A, 53-363, Wrocław, Poland. 3. Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland. 4. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Wroclaw Medical University, ul. Borowska 211, 50-556, Wrocław, Poland. 5. Deptartment of Plant Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Experimental Biology, University of Wrocław, Kanonia 6/8, 50-328, Wrocław, Poland. 6. Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland. anna.kulma@uwr.edu.pl.
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION: Upregulation of the terpenoid pathway and increased ABA content in flax upon Fusarium infection leads to activation of the early plant's response (PR genes, cell wall remodeling, and redox status). Plants have developed a number of defense strategies against the adverse effects of fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum. One such defense is the production of antioxidant secondary metabolites, which fall into two main groups: the phenylpropanoids and the terpenoids. While functions and biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids have been extensively studied, very little is known about the genes controlling the terpenoid synthesis pathway in flax. They can serve as antioxidants, but are also substrates for a plethora of different compounds, including those of regulatory functions, like ABA. ABA's function during pathogen attack remains obscure and often depends on the specific plant-pathogen interactions. In our study we showed that in flax the non-mevalonate pathway is strongly activated in the early hours of pathogen infection and that there is a redirection of metabolites towards ABA synthesis. The elevated synthesis of ABA correlates with flax resistance to F. oxysporum, thus we suggest ABA to be a positive regulator of the plant's early response to the infection.
MAIN CONCLUSION: Upregulation of the terpenoid pathway and increased ABA content in flax upon Fusarium infection leads to activation of the early plant's response (PR genes, cell wall remodeling, and redox status). Plants have developed a number of defense strategies against the adverse effects of fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum. One such defense is the production of antioxidant secondary metabolites, which fall into two main groups: the phenylpropanoids and the terpenoids. While functions and biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids have been extensively studied, very little is known about the genes controlling the terpenoid synthesis pathway in flax. They can serve as antioxidants, but are also substrates for a plethora of different compounds, including those of regulatory functions, like ABA. ABA's function during pathogen attack remains obscure and often depends on the specific plant-pathogen interactions. In our study we showed that in flax the non-mevalonate pathway is strongly activated in the early hours of pathogen infection and that there is a redirection of metabolites towards ABA synthesis. The elevated synthesis of ABA correlates with flax resistance to F. oxysporum, thus we suggest ABA to be a positive regulator of the plant's early response to the infection.