Hijacking common mycorrhizal networks for herbivore-induced defence signal transfer between tomato plants.
Common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) link multiple plants together. We hypothesized that CMNs can serve as an underground conduit for transferring herbivore-induced defence signals. We established CMN between two tomato plants in pots with mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae, challenged a 'donor' plant with caterpillar Spodoptera litura, and investigated defence responses and insect resistance in neighbouring CMN-connected 'receiver' plants. After CMN establishment caterpillar infestation on 'donor' plant led to increased insect resistance and activities of putative defensive enzymes, induction of defence-related genes and activation of jasmonate (JA) pathway in the 'receiver' plant. However, use of a JA biosynthesis defective mutant spr2 as 'donor' plants resulted in no induction of defence responses and no change in insect resistance in 'receiver' plants, suggesting that JA signalling is required for CMN-mediated interplant communication. These results indicate that plants are able to hijack CMNs for herbivore-induced defence signal transfer and interplant defence communication.
1] State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources [2] Key Laboratory of Tropical Agro-environment, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China [3] Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Yuan Yuan
YY
Song
1] State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources [2] Key Laboratory of Tropical Agro-environment, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Mao
M
Ye
Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Chuanyou
C
Li
1] Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Crop Nutrition and Fertilization, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China [2] School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
Xinhua
X
He
Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA.
Keyan
K
Zhu-Salzman
1] State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources [2] Key Laboratory of Tropical Agro-environment, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Rui Long
RL
Wang
1] State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources [2] Key Laboratory of Tropical Agro-environment, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Yi Juan
YJ
Su
1] State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources [2] Key Laboratory of Tropical Agro-environment, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Shi Ming
SM
Luo
1] State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources [2] Key Laboratory of Tropical Agro-environment, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Ren Sen
RS
Zeng
D000818:Animals; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D055137:Glomeromycota / Q000378:metabolism*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000378:metabolism; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000378:metabolism*; D057865:Plant Immunity / Q000276:immunology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000276:immunology*
D003517:Cyclopentanes; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D054883:Oxylipins; C011006:jasmonic acid