Wounding increases salt tolerance in tomato plants. Evidence on the participation of calmodulin-like activities in cross-tolerance signaling

CAPIATI D.A.; PAÍS S.M.; TÉLLEZ-IÑÓN M.T.

JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY

Año: 2006 vol. 57 p. 2391 - 2400

0022-0957

ABSTRACT Cross-tolerance is the phenomenon by which a plant resistance to a stress results in resistance to another form of stress. It has previously been shown that salt stress causes the accumulation of proteinase inhibitors and the activation of other wound-related genes in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicon). However, very little is known about how different stresses interact with one another, and about which are the signaling components that interrelate the responses triggered by different stress types. In the present work we demonstrate that mechanical wounding increases salt stress tolerance in tomato plants through a mechanism that involves the signaling peptide systemin and the synthesis of JA. We also provide data indicating that calmodulin-like activities are necessary for the downstream signaling events that lead to cross-tolerance between wounding and salt stress. Finally, we gathered evidence supporting the hypothesis that LeCDPK1, a Ca2+-dependent protein kinase from tomato previously described in our lab, could participate in this cross-tolerance mechanism interrelating the signaling responses to wounding and salt stress.