title: Defense priming by non-jasmonate producing fatty acids in maize (Zea mays).
abstract: Previously, we described a priming effect of α-linolenic acid (LnA) on anti-herbivore defense response in maize seedlings.1We showed that exogenous application of LnA stimulated higher jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and herbivore-induced plant volatile (HIPV) emission after treatment with insect elicitor (IE). To further investigate the specificity of LnA's priming effect, we incubated maize seedlings in palmitoleic acid (PeicA), γ-linolenic acid (γ LnA) and stearic acid (StA) solutions, and analyzed HIPV emission in response to IE. Seedlings incubated in PeicA and γ LnA had 3 and 1.8 times higher HIPV release when compared to controls. In contrast, treatment with StA did not up-regulate HIPV release. We propose that the elevated level and/or the presence of unsaturated fatty acids sensitize the defense signaling system, which in turn augments the defense response of maize when under insect herbivore attack.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle , San Antonio , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: b Center for Chemical Ecology, Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University , University Park , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Tristan M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Cofer
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle , San Antonio , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Marie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Engelberth
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle , San Antonio , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engelberth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D060434:Herbivory / Q000502:physiology; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000378:metabolism*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003517:Cyclopentanes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D054883:Oxylipins; D013229:Stearic Acids; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; C008757:palmitoleic acid; C031183:stearic acid; C011006:jasmonic acid
keywords: Free fatty acid; green leaf volatiles; herbivore-induced plant volatiles; insect herbivory; priming