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Glycan Profiling of Plant Cell Wall Polymers using Microarrays
Published on: December 17, 2012
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Tracking cell wall changes in wine and table grapes undergoing Botrytis cinerea infection using glycan microarrays
Florent Weiller1, Julia Schückel2,3, William G T Willats4
1South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Annals of Botany
|June 30, 2021
Summary
Botrytis cinerea infection degrades grape cell walls, particularly pectin, with table grapes showing more susceptibility. Cell wall changes like pectin depolymerization and extensin deposition correlate with disease severity in Vitis vinifera.
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Plant Biochemistry
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Botrytis cinerea (grey mold) severely impacts Vitis vinifera (grapevine) crops, causing significant economic losses.
- The plant cell wall and apoplast are critical sites for plant-pathogen interactions.
- Limited research exists on grape cell wall alterations during Botrytis cinerea infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cell wall compositional changes in wine and table grape cultivars upon Botrytis cinerea infection.
- To correlate these changes with infection progression and disease susceptibility.
- To identify potential cell wall-based resistance factors in grapes.
Main Methods:
- Applied microarray polymer profiling and monosaccharide compositional analysis to grape berries.
- Utilized scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) for infection characterization.
- Analyzed cell wall changes in Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dauphine, and Barlinka cultivars at different infection stages.
Main Results:
- Infection at post-veraison and ripe stages caused significant tissue degradation, unlike veraison infection.
- Pectin epitopes were reduced, indicating pectin polymer degradation, especially in table grape cultivars.
- Hemicellulose and arabinogalactan protein content remained largely unaffected; extensin deposition was observed in severely infected table grapes.
Conclusions:
- Grape cell wall compositional profiles correlate with fungal disease susceptibility.
- Pectin methylesterification and extensin reorganization are key factors influencing grape resistance to Botrytis cinerea.
- Differential susceptibility between table and wine grape cultivars is linked to specific cell wall alterations.
