Ethylene: Traffic Controller on Hormonal Crossroads to Defense.
Ethylene (ET) is an important hormone in plant responses to microbial pathogens and herbivorous insects, and in the interaction of plants with beneficial microbes and insects. Early ET signaling events during these biotic interactions involve activities of mitogen-activated protein kinases and ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR transcription factors. Rather than being the principal regulator, ET often modulates defense signaling pathways, including those regulated by jasmonic acid and salicylic acid. Hormonal signal integrations with ET steer the defense signaling network to activate specific defenses that can have direct effects on attackers, or systemically prime distant plant parts for enhanced defense against future attack. ET also regulates volatile signals that attract carnivorous enemies of herbivores or warn neighboring plants. Conversely, ET signaling can also be exploited by attackers to hijack the defense signaling network to suppress effective defenses. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the significant role of ET in the plants' battle against their enemies.
Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Colette
C
Broekgaarden
Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Lotte
L
Caarls
Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Irene A
IA
Vos
Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands c.m.j.pieterse@uu.nl.
Corné M J
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5473-4646
CM
Pieterse
Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Saskia C M
SC
Van Wees
D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D057865:Plant Immunity; D010944:Plants / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D005030:Ethylenes; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C036216:ethylene