Systemic acquired resistance in plants - an omics approach to pathogen defence signalling

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Immunity in plants is based in part on recognition of pathogen effector molecules by corresponding plant RESISTANCE (R) gene products. This type of immunity is accompanied by the induction of a long-lasting broad spectrum defence, systemic acquired resistance (SAR), in the remaining healthy tissues of the plant. The SAR state is maintained at low energy cost, and SAR signalling components could be used to protect crops from disease without significant loss of yield. Therefore, we aim to identify SAR signalling components that affect the generation and/or transmission of mobile SAR signals. To this end, we will use the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and a mutant, eds1, which is incapable of generating or transmitting SAR signals in response to the bacterial effector AvrRpm1. First, the peptide, lipid, and polar small molecule content of extracts of AvrRpm1-expressing wild type (wt) as compared to eds1 plants will be analyzed by different mass spectrometry-based techniques. Second, the defence-inducing potential of thus identified candidate SAR signalling compounds will be examined in A. thaliana and other plant species, including the crop plant tomato. Finally, we will study how new SAR signals affect other regulatory processes, e.g. those affecting drought stress tolerance, by transcript profiling.