Interplay of signaling pathways in plant disease resistance

• Published in: Trends in Genetics Vol. 16; no. 10; pp. 449 - 455
• Main Authors: Feys, Bart J, Parker, Jane E
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2000; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Acetates - metabolism; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Cyclopentanes - metabolism; Ethylene; Ethylenes - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Plant; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Immunity, Innate - genetics; Immunity, Innate - physiology; Indoles - metabolism; Jasmonate; jasmonic acid; Oxylipins; Plant Diseases - genetics; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - physiology; Plants - genetics; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Pteridophyta, spermatophyta; Resistance; Salicylic acid; Salicylic Acid - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Signaling; Thiazoles - metabolism; Vegetals; Resistance; Biotechnology; Signaling; Salicylic acid; Jasmonate; Arabidopsis; Ethylene; Genetics; Biochemistry; Signal transduction; Vegetals; Gene; Plant pathogen; Defense mechanism; Review
• ISSN: 0168-9525
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9525(00)02107-7

Plants are under constant threat of infection by pathogens armed with a diverse array of effector molecules to colonize their host. Plants have, in turn, evolved sophisticated detection and response systems that decipher pathogen signals and induce appropriate defenses. Genetic analysis of plant mutants impaired in mounting a resistance response to invading pathogens has uncovered a number of distinct, but interconnecting, signaling networks that are under both positive and negative control. These pathways operate, at least partly, through the action of small signaling molecules such as salicylate, jasmonate and ethylene. The interplay of signals probably allows the plant to fine-tune defense responses in both local and systemic tissue.