Abstract
Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a crop plant valued for its oil and fiber. Unfortunately, large losses in cultivation of this plant are caused by fungal infections, with Fusarium oxysporum being one of its most dangerous pathogens. Among the plant's defense strategies, changes in the expression of genes of the shikimate/phenylpropanoid/benzoate pathway and thus in phenolic contents occur. Among the benzoates, salicylic acid, and its methylated form methyl salicylate play an important role in regulating plants' response to stress conditions. Upon treatment of flax plants with the fungus we found that methyl salicylate content increased (4.8-fold of the control) and the expression profiles of the analyzed genes suggest that it is produced most likely from cinnamic acid, through the β-oxidative route. At the same time activation of some genes involved in lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis was observed. We suggest that increased methyl salicylate biosynthesis during flax response to F. oxysporum infection may be associated with phenylpropanoid pathway activation.
Highlights
Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a crop plant utilized in many branches of industry as it is a source of oil and fiber, as well as the secondary products—seedcakes and shives
Several transcript sequences with homology to the genes connected with phenolic compound synthesis were found after whole transcriptome sequencing of RNA isolated from flax plants after 24 and 48 h post infection with F. oxysporum
Transcripts of genes involved in the core route of the shikimate/phenylpropanoid pathway were generally more abundant at 24 hpi, with the highest increase measured for phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL)
Summary
Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a crop plant utilized in many branches of industry as it is a source of oil and fiber, as well as the secondary products—seedcakes and shives. The cultivation of flax is stymied because of pathogens, with Fusarium causing the most losses. It is estimated that the flax crop loss caused by this genus of pathogenic fungi reaches 20% (Muir and Westcott, 2003; Heller et al, 2006). Fusarium fungi are mostly soil saprophytes, some species/strains are belligerent toward plants. Sometimes the fungus is called a hemibiotroph, MeSA Participates in Flax Resistance because infection initially resembles that of a pathogen that relies on a living host (biotrophic), but eventually transition to killing and consuming host cells (necrotrophic) occurs (Krol et al, 2015). The fungus produces mycotoxins and enzymes hydrolysing cell wall components (cellulases, pectinases, glucuronidases, etc.) that facilitate host tissue penetration
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