Abstract
Natural elicitors derived from pathogenic microorganisms represent an ecologic strategy to achieve resistance in plants against diseases. Glucosylceramides (GlcCer) are classified as neutral glycosphingolipids. GlcCer were isolated and purified from Fusarium oxysporum mycelium. F. oxysporum is a plant pathogenic fungus, abundant in soil and causing severe losses in economically important crops such as corn, tobacco, banana, cotton and passion fruit. In this study we evaluate the capacity of GlcCer in inducing resistance in N. tabacum cv Xanthi plants against Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Spraying tobacco plants with GlcCer before virus infection reduced the incidence of necrotic lesions caused by TMV. In addition, plants already infected with the virus showed a reduction in hypersensitive response (HR) lesions after GlcCer treatment, suggesting an antiviral effect of GlcCer. Our investigations showed that GlcCer stimulates the early accumulation of H2O2 and superoxide radicals. In addition, the expression of PR-1 (pathogenesis-related 1, with suggested antifungal action), PR-2 (β-1,3-glucanase), PR-3 (Chitinase), PR-5 (Osmotin), PAL (Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), LOX (Lipoxygenase) and POX (Peroxidase) genes was highly induced after treatment of tobacco plants with GlcCer and induction levels remained high throughout a period of 6 to 120 hours. Our experiments demonstrate that GlcCer induces resistance in tobacco plants against infection by TMV.
Highlights
The genus Fusarium shows a wide global distribution and is found in both temperate and tropical regions [1]
The expression of PR-1, PR-2 (β-1,3-glucanase), PR-3 (Chitinase), PR-5 (Osmotin), PAL (Phenylalanine ammonialyase), LOX (Lipoxygenase) and POX (Peroxidase) genes was highly induced after treatment of tobacco plants with GlcCer and induction levels remained high throughout a period of 6 to 120 hours
Confirmation of the presence of the substance at different stages of purification was monitored by thin layer chromatography (TLC)
Summary
The genus Fusarium shows a wide global distribution and is found in both temperate and tropical regions [1]. Fusarium oxysporum is a phytopathogenic fungus that is abundant in the soil and causes significant economic losses in crops like corn, banana, cotton and passion fruit. Species belonging to the F. oxysporum complex (FOSC) can affect a wide range of plants, including annual and perennial dicotyledons and monocotyledons [2, 3]. Field losses associate to FOSC have a high impact and rank 5th in a list of the top 10 plant pathogens of scientific / economic importance [4].
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