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Published on: October 4, 2019
Ethylene biosynthesis in Botrytis cinerea.
Véronique Chagué1, Yigal Elad, Radwan Barakat
1Department of Plant sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
FEMS Microbiology Ecology
|August 28, 2009
Summary
The fungus Botrytis cinerea produces alpha-keto gamma-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA), which is converted to ethylene in light. This ethylene production during pathogenesis may impact plant infections.
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Mycology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Ethylene is a plant hormone implicated in plant defense responses during pathogenesis.
- Both plants and pathogens can contribute to ethylene production during infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the ethylene biosynthetic pathway in the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea.
- To identify factors influencing in vitro ethylene production by B. cinerea.
Main Methods:
- Culturing B. cinerea in vitro and analyzing metabolites.
- Investigating the effect of light and darkness on ethylene production.
- Assessing the role of peroxidase in ethylene formation.
Main Results:
- B. cinerea synthesizes and secretes alpha-keto gamma-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA) from methionine within 48 hours.
- KMBA accumulates in darkness and undergoes spontaneous photo-oxidation to ethylene in the light.
- Ethylene production also occurred in darkness after 48 hours, inducible by peroxidase.
Conclusions:
- The secretion of KMBA by B. cinerea is a key factor in ethylene production.
- Light-dependent photo-oxidation of KMBA is a primary mechanism for ethylene release.
- This fungal ethylene production pathway could play a significant role during plant-pathogen interactions.
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