Do strigolactones contribute to plant defence?

Area of Science:

• Plant biology
• Molecular plant pathology
• Hormone signaling

Background:

• Strigolactones are plant hormones regulating growth and development.
• They are also involved in symbiotic and parasitic plant interactions.
• Their role in plant defense mechanisms remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the involvement of strigolactones in plant defense responses.
• To assess the susceptibility of a strigolactone-deficient mutant to fungal pathogens.
• To explore the impact on defense hormone levels and gene expression.

Main Methods:

• Assessing the resistance of the strigolactone-deficient tomato mutant Slccd8 against Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata.
• Quantifying defense-related hormones (jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, abscisic acid) using HPLC-MS/MS.
• Analyzing the expression level of the jasmonate-dependent gene PinII.

Main Results:

• The Slccd8 mutant exhibited increased susceptibility to both B. cinerea and A. alternata.
• Reduced levels of jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid were observed in the mutant.
• Lower expression of the jasmonate-dependent gene PinII was detected in Slccd8 compared to the wild-type.

Conclusions:

• Strigolactones are implicated in plant defense against foliar fungal pathogens.
• Strigolactone deficiency alters hormone homeostasis, particularly affecting jasmonic acid signaling.
• Strigolactones may regulate plant defense through interactions with other hormone pathways, notably jasmonic acid.