title: The mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis suppresses plant defense responses by manipulating JA-SA crosstalk.
abstract: Induced plant defenses against herbivores are modulated by jasmonic acid-, salicylic acid-, and ethylene-signaling pathways. Although there is evidence that some pathogens suppress plant defenses by interfering with the crosstalk between different signaling pathways, such evidence is scarce for herbivores. Here, we demonstrate that the mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis suppresses the induced defenses in tomato. We found that exogenous JA, but not SA, significantly decreased mealybug feeding time and reduced nymphal performance. In addition, constitutive activation of JA signaling in 35s::prosys plants reduced mealybug survival. These data indicate that the JA signaling pathway plays a key role in mediating the defense responses against P. solenopsis. We also found that mealybug feeding decreased JA production and JA-dependent defense gene expression, but increased SA accumulation and SA-dependent gene expression. In SA-deficient plants, mealybug feeding did not suppress but activated JA accumulation, indicating that the suppression of JA-regulated defenses depends on the SA signaling pathway. Mealybugs benefit from suppression of JA-regulated defenses by exhibiting enhanced nymphal performance. These findings confirm that P. solenopsis manipulates plants for its own benefits by modulating the JA-SA crosstalk and thereby suppressing induced defenses.
authors: 1] Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection &Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China [2] State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control; Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China.
authors: Peng-Jun
authors: PJ
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control; Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Huang
authors: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control; Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China.
authors: Jin-Ming
authors: JM
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects &Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China.
authors: Jia-Ning
authors: JN
authors: Wei
authors: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control; Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China.
authors: Yao-Bin
authors: YB
authors: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000502:physiology*; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000469:parasitology*; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003517:Cyclopentanes; D054883:Oxylipins; C011006:jasmonic acid; D020156:Salicylic Acid