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Published on: November 5, 2012
Biophoton imaging: a nondestructive method for assaying R gene responses
Mark Bennett1, Monaz Mehta, Murray Grant
1Department of Agricultural Science, Imperial College London, Wye Campus, Wye TN25 5AH, UK.
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions : MPMI
|February 22, 2005
Summary
Ultraweak photon emission, or biophoton generation, offers a new way to study plant immune responses. This non-destructive assay tracks the timing of hypersensitive response (HR) triggered by plant disease resistance (R) proteins.
Area of Science:
- Plant pathology
- Molecular biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Plant disease resistance (R) proteins initiate defense signaling and the hypersensitive response (HR).
- The timing of visible HR varies between different R proteins.
- A non-destructive method is needed to compare R protein-elicited defense timing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe and validate ultraweak photon emission (biophoton generation) as an assay for plant defense responses.
- To compare the timing of hypersensitive response (HR) triggered by different plant disease resistance (R) proteins.
- To investigate the biochemical requirements for biophoton generation during plant-pathogen interactions.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing ultraweak photon emission (biophoton generation) from plant leaves during incompatible interactions.
- Correlating biophoton emission with hypersensitive cell death.
- Measuring changes in cytosolic calcium and nitric oxide levels.
Main Results:
- Biophoton generation is associated with hypersensitive cell death.
- Biophoton emission requires an intact R protein signaling network.
- The assay is robust across different plant species and incompatible interactions.
Conclusions:
- Ultraweak photon emission provides a facile, non-destructive, real-time assay for plant defense responses.
- This biophoton assay allows for the temporal dissection of R protein-mediated immunity.
- The technique is suitable for genetic studies of plant defense mechanisms.
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