Association between border cell responses and localized root infection by pathogenic Aphanomyces euteiches
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The oomycete Aphanomyces euteiches causes up to 80 % crop loss in pea (Pisum sativum). Aphanomyces euteiches invades the root system leading to a complete arrest of root growth and ultimately to plant death. To date, disease control measures are limited to crop rotation and no resistant pea lines are available. The present study aims to get a deeper understanding of the early oomycete-plant interaction at the tissue and cellular levels. METHODS: Here, the process of root infection by A. euteiches on pea is investigated using flow cytometry and microscopic techniques. Dynamic changes in secondary metabolism are analysed with high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. KEY RESULTS: Root infection is initiated in the elongation zone but not in the root cap and border cells. Border-cell production is significantly enhanced in response to root inoculation with changes in their size and morphology. The stimulatory effect of A. euteiches on border-cell production is dependent on the number of oospores inoculated. Interestingly, border cells respond to pathogen challenge by increasing the synthesis of the phytoalexin pisatin. CONCLUSIONS: Distinctive responses to A. euteiches inoculation occur at the root tissue level. The findings suggest that root border cells in pea are involved in local defence of the root tip against A. euteiches. Root border cells constitute a convenient quantitative model to measure the molecular and cellular basis of plant-microbe interactions.
Source: Annals of Botany
DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcr177
Institutions: Laboratoire de Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, Université de Rouen Normandie, Inserm, UniLaSalle, École supérieure d’ingénieurs et de techniciens pour l’agriculture, Université de Tours, Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261, University of Arizona
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2107753166