Salicylic acid treatment and expression of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 transgene inhibit lethal symptoms

And meristem invasion during tobacco mosaic virus infection in Nicotiana benthamiana

Abstract

Host RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs) 1 and 6 contribute to antiviral RNA silencing in plants. RDR6 is constitutively expressed and was previously shown to limit invasion of Nicotiana benthamiana meristem tissue by potato virus X and thereby inhibit disease development. RDR1 is inducible by salicylic acid (SA) and several other phytohormones. But although it contributes to basal resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) it is dispensable for SA-induced resistance in inoculated leaves. The laboratory accession of N. benthamiana is a natural rdr1 mutant and highly susceptible to TMV. However, TMV-induced symptoms are ameliorated in transgenic plants expressing Medicago truncatula RDR1.

This work arises from the Sustainable Crop production for International Development (SCPRID) programme.

Citation

Lee W, Fu S, Li Z, Murphy A, Dobson E, Garland L, Chaluvadi S, Lewsey M, Nelson R, Carr J (2016). Salicylic acid treatment and expression of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 transgene inhibit lethal symptoms and meristem invasion during tobacco mosaic virus infection in Nicotiana benthamiana. BMC Plant Biology. 16:15

Salicylic acid treatment and expression of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 transgene inhibit lethal symptoms and meristem invasion during tobacco mosaic virus infection in Nicotiana benthamiana

Published 13 January 2016