title: In Plant Protoplasts, the Spontaneous Expression of Defense Reactions and the Responsiveness to Exogenous Elicitors Are under Auxin Control.
abstract: When auxin was omitted during either the preparation or the culture of tobacco mesophyll protoplasts, as well as during both periods, synthesis of beta-glucanase was spontaneously induced. In contrast, when protoplasts were prepared and cultured in the presence of 16 micromolar 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (optimal concentration for protoplast division), the expression of beta-glucanase was maintained close to the minimal level observed in tobacco leaves. This inhibitory effect was only promoted by active auxins (1-naphthaleneacetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 3-indoleacetic acid) but not by inactive auxin analogs. Tobacco protoplasts responded to exogenous elicitors from the cell wall of Phytophthora megasperma glycinea (Pmg) by accumulating beta-glucanase in the presence of 16 micromolar 1-naphthaleneacetic acid. At higher auxin concentrations, the elicitor-induced beta-glucanase synthesis was inhibited. Naphthaleneacetic acid concentration (3 x 10(-5) molar) required to inhibit by 50% the expression of this defense reaction triggered by a near-optimal elicitor concentration was about 100 times higher than that sufficient to inhibit by 50% the spontaneous expression in nonelicited protoplasts. This is the first demonstration of an auxin-fungal elicitor interaction in the control of a defined defense reaction. The above observations were extended to soybean cell protoplasts. The Pmg elicitor-induced stimulation of the synthesis of pathogenesis related P17 polypeptides and of a 39-kilodalton peptide immunologically related to tobacco beta-glucanase was only observed when the spontaneous accumulation of these proteins was inhibited in auxin-treated protoplasts.
authors: Institut des Sciences Végétales, C.N.R.S., Allée de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette, France.
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Jouanneau
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Lapous
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Guern