Elicitor and Fusarium-induced expression of NPR1-like genes in banana

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol. 46; no. 11; pp. 1007 - 1014
• Main Authors: Endah, Rosita, Beyene, Getu, Kiggundu, Andrew, van den Berg, Noelani, Schlüter, Urte, Kunert, Karl, Chikwamba, Rachel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01.11.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acetates - pharmacology; Amino Acid Sequence; Arabidopsis; Banana; Biological and medical sciences; Cyclopentanes - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Fusarium; Fusarium oxysporum; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Plant; Molecular Sequence Data; Musa; Musa - genetics; NPR1; Oxylipins - pharmacology; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant Diseases - genetics; Plant physiology and development; Plant Proteins - genetics; PR proteins; Salicylic Acid - pharmacology; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Systemic acquired resistance; Systemic acquired resistance; MNPR1B; PR; Fusarium oxysporum; NPR1; SAR; MNPR1A; MeJA; SA; Banana; Musa; Foc; PR proteins; Monocotyledones; Plant pathogen; Musaceae; Elicitor; Pathogenesis related protein; Induced resistance; Fungi; Gene; Plant physiology; Fruit crop; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Fungi Imperfecti
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2008.06.007

The non-expressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 ( NPR1) is an essential positive regulator of salicylic acid (SA)-induced pathogenesis-related ( PR) gene expression and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Two novel full length NPR1-like genes; MNPR1A and MNPR1B, were isolated from banana by application of the PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques. The two identified MNPR1 sequences differed greatly in their expression profile using quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR following either elicitor or Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht f. sp. cubense (Smith) Snyd ( Foc) treatment. MNPR1A was greatly expressed after Foc treatment with higher and earlier expression in the Foc-tolerant cultivar GCTCV-218 than in the sensitive cultivar Grand Naine. In comparison, MNPR1B was highly responsive to SA, but not to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, in both the tolerant banana cultivar GCTCV-218 and the more sensitive cultivar Grand Naine. Expression of the MNPR1 genes further directly related to PR gene expression known to be involved in fungal resistance. Reduced sensitivity to Foc in GCTCV-218 might be partially attributed to the higher and an earlier expression of both MNPR1A and PR-1 in this cultivar after Foc treatment. Further characterisation of the MNPR1 genes through complementation of Arabidopsis npr1 mutants and overexpression studies in banana cultivars is the subject of ongoing and future work.