Conserved nematode signalling molecules elicit plant defenses and pathogen resistance

Patricia Manosalva, Murli Manohar, Stephan H. von Reuss, Shiyan Chen, Aline Koch, Fatma Kaplan, Andrea Choe, Robert J. Micikas, Xiaohong Wang, Karl-Heinz Kogel, Paul W. Sternberg, Valerie M. Williamson, Frank C. Schroeder () and Daniel F. Klessig ()
Additional contact information
Patricia Manosalva: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
Murli Manohar: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
Stephan H. von Reuss: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
Shiyan Chen: Cornell University
Aline Koch: Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use, and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University
Fatma Kaplan: Kaplan Schiller Research, LLC
Andrea Choe: California Institute of Technology
Robert J. Micikas: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
Xiaohong Wang: Cornell University
Karl-Heinz Kogel: Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use, and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University
Paul W. Sternberg: California Institute of Technology
Valerie M. Williamson: University of California
Frank C. Schroeder: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research
Daniel F. Klessig: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Plant-defense responses are triggered by perception of conserved microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), for example, flagellin or peptidoglycan. However, it remained unknown whether plants can detect conserved molecular patterns derived from plant-parasitic animals, including nematodes. Here we show that several genera of plant-parasitic nematodes produce small molecules called ascarosides, an evolutionarily conserved family of nematode pheromones. Picomolar to micromolar concentrations of ascr#18, the major ascaroside in plant-parasitic nematodes, induce hallmark defense responses including the expression of genes associated with MAMP-triggered immunity, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, as well as salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-mediated defense signalling pathways. Ascr#18 perception increases resistance in Arabidopsis, tomato, potato and barley to viral, bacterial, oomycete, fungal and nematode infections. These results indicate that plants recognize ascarosides as a conserved molecular signature of nematodes. Using small-molecule signals such as ascarosides to activate plant immune responses has potential utility to improve economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8795

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