title: Short oligogalacturonides induce pathogen resistance-associated gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: Oligogalacturonides (OGs) are important components of damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) signaling and influence growth regulation in plants. Recent studies have focused on the impact of long OGs (degree of polymerization (DP) from 10-15), demonstrating the induction of plant defense signaling resulting in enhanced defenses to necrotrophic pathogens. To clarify the role of trimers (trimeric OGs, DP3) in DAMP signaling and their impact on plant growth regulation, we performed a transcriptomic analysis through the RNA sequencing of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to trimers.
  
  
  
  The transcriptomic data from trimer-treated Arabidopsis seedlings indicate a clear activation of genes involved in defense signaling, phytohormone signaling and a down-regulation of genes involved in processes related to growth regulation and development. This is further accompanied with improved defenses against necrotrophic pathogens triggered by the trimer treatment, indicating that short OGs have a clear impact on plant responses, similar to those described for long OGs.
  
  
  
  Our results demonstrate that trimers are indeed active elicitors of plant defenses. This is clearly indicated by the up-regulation of genes associated with plant defense signaling, accompanied with improved defenses against necrotrophic pathogens. Moreover, trimers simultaneously trigger a clear down-regulation of genes and gene sets associated with growth and development, leading to stunted seedling growth in Arabidopsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Division of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Pär
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davidsson
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Division of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kariola
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Division of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sipari
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirhonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Division of Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. tapio.palva@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: E Tapio
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9761-7271
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Palva
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020171:Botrytis / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014574:Uronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D014574:Uronic Acids
keywords: Arabidopsis thaliana; Botrytis cinerea; Defense induction; Disease resistance; Growth inhibition; OG; Oligogalacturonides; Pectobacterium carotovorum; Plant signaling; Transcriptomics; Trimers