title: Fusarium graminearum exploits ethylene signalling to colonize dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants.
abstract: Ethylene signalling affects the resistance of dicotyledonous plant species to diverse pathogens but almost nothing is known about the role of this pathway in monocotyledonous crop species. Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) of cereals, contaminating grain with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). Very little is known about the mechanisms of resistance/susceptibility to this disease. Genetic and chemical genetic studies were used to examine the influence of ethylene (ET) signalling and perception on infection of dicotyledonous (Arabidopsis) and monocotyledonous (wheat and barley) species by F. graminearum. Arabidopsis mutants with reduced ET signalling or perception were more resistant to F. graminearum than wild-type, while mutants with enhanced ET production were more susceptible. These findings were confirmed by chemical genetic studies of Arabidopsis, wheat and barley. Attenuation of expression of EIN2 in wheat, a gene encoding a core component of ethylene signalling, reduced both disease symptoms and DON contamination of grain. Fusarium graminearum appears to exploit ethylene signalling in both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous species. This demonstration of translation from model to crop species provides a foundation for improving resistance of cereal crops to FHB through identification of allelic variation for components of the ethylene-signalling pathway.
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steed
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology, University of Zurich, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Travella
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology, University of Zurich, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D018548:Cotyledon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D001467:Hordeum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014255:Trichothecenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D014908:Triticum / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005030:Ethylenes; D014255:Trichothecenes; C036216:ethylene; C007262:deoxynivalenol