THE TOMATO PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL-PHOSPHOLIPASE C2 (SLPLC2) MODULATES DEFENSE RESPONSES TO BOTRYTIS CINEREA

GONORAZKY AG; GUZZO C; TEN HAVE A; VOSSEN J. H.; LAXALT A. M.

mar del Plata

Congreso; congreso Latinoamericano de Fisiología Vegetal; 2014

The tomato [Solanum lycopersicum (Sl)] phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C (PI-PLC) gene family is composed of six members, named SlPLC1 to SlPLC6, differentially regulated upon pathogen attack. We have previously shown that the fungal elicitor xylanase induces a raise of SlPLC5 and SlPLC2 transcripts and that SlPLC2 is required for xylanase-induced expression of the defense-related genes SlPR1a and SlHSR203J. In this work we study the role of SlPLC2 in the interaction between tomato and the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Inoculation of tomato leaves with B. cinerea diminishes SlPLC1 transcripts, while increases transcript levels of SlPLC2 to SlPLC6. We knocked-down the expression of SlPLC2 by virus-induced gene silencing and analyzed plant defense responses upon B.cinerea inoculation. SlPLC2 silenced plants developed smaller necrotic lesions, concomitantly with minor levels of B. cinerea ACTINE which shows less proliferation of the fungus. These results indicate that SlPLC2 plants are less susceptible to B. cinerea. Silencing of SlPLC2 resulted as well in reduced production of reactive oxigen species. Transcript levels of the salicylic acid-defense gene marker SlPR1a were diminished in SlPLC2 silenced plants, while transcripts of the jasmonic acid-defense gene marker Proteinase Inhibitor II (SlPI-II) were increased. We demonstrate that SlPLC2 modulates plant susceptibility to B. cinerea. The putative role of SlPLC2 in plant resistance to biotrophic pathogens remains to be demonstrated.