title: Salicylic acid-dependent gene expression is activated by locomotion mucus of different molluscan herbivores.
abstract: Slugs and snails specifically secrete mucus to aid their locomotion. This mucus is the contact material between molluscan herbivores and plants. We have recently shown that the locomotion mucus of the slug Deroceras reticulatum contains salicylic acid (SA).(1) When applied to wounded leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana this mucus induces the activity of the SA-responsive pathogenesis related 1 (PR1) promotor1. Here we analyzed PR1 promotor activity in response to treatments with locomotion mucus of eight slugs and snails. Although none of the mucus contained SA, their application still elicited PR1 promotor activity. These data provide further insights into the complex interactions between molluscan herbivores and plants.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology; Department of Molecular Ecology; Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meldau
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology; Department of Molecular Ecology; Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kästner
authors.affiliation: Phyletisches Museum; Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena; Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: von Knorre
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology; Department of Molecular Ecology; Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Ian T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Baldwin
keywords: PR1; mollusk; plant; salicylic acid; slug; snail