Sodium Hydrosulfide Induces Resistance Against Penicillium expansum in Apples by Regulating Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide Activation of Phenylpropanoid Metabolism.

Huiwen Deng,Yang Bi,Yuanyuan Zong,Dov Prusky,Yongxiang Liu,Bin Wang,Li Ma

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.720372

Huiwen Deng, Yang Bi + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.720372

Copy DOI

Abstract

As a multifunctional signaling molecule, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been reported to induce plant responses to a variety of abiotic stresses. However, there are no reports on H2S treatment inducing resistance in apples against Penicillium expansum, a biotic factor, and its possible mechanism of action. In this study, fumigating apples with 5 mM sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), the exogenous donor of H2S, for 12 h reduced the diameter of lesions in fruit colonized by P. expansum. NaHS treatment markedly promoted the synthesis of endogenous H2S, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and nitrogen oxide (NO). In vivo NaHS treatment enhanced the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, p-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase isoenzymes, caffeoyl-CoA-O-methyltransferase, caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase, ferulic acid-5-hydroxylase, cinnamyl-CoA reductase, and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase. The treatment also facilitated the production of specific phenolic acids, such as cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and sinapic acid; total phenolic compounds; p-coumaryl alcohol; coniferyl alcohol; sinapyl alcohol; and lignin. NaHS treatment induced resistance against P. expansum in apples through H2O2- and NO-mediated activation of phenylpropanoid metabolism.

Highlights

Penicillium expansum is a critical pathogen that can cause blue mold in various temperate fruits (Errampalli, 2014), resulting in fruit rot and in the accumulation of patulin in the fruit, which presents a potential safety hazard (Yu et al, 2020)
Other studies have indicated that NaHS treatment improves the activity of L-cysteine desulfhydrase (LCD) in Arabidopsis thaliana and promotes the generation of endogenous H2S, which regulates the downstream synthesis of salicylic acid, a signal molecule (Shi et al, 2015); reduces the activity of phenylalanine ammonialyase; enhances the activity of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase; and eliminates excessive reactive oxygen species, all of which preserves the stability of the cell membrane
The results indicate that NaHS treatment of apples facilitated the generation of endogenous H2S, nitrogen oxide (NO), and H2O2

Summary

Introduction

Penicillium expansum is a critical pathogen that can cause blue mold in various temperate fruits (Errampalli, 2014), resulting in fruit rot and in the accumulation of patulin in the fruit, which presents a potential safety hazard (Yu et al, 2020). There may be registration difficulties (Romanazzi et al, 2016) These reasons make it necessary to exploit new alternative strategies for preventing postharvest diseases. Induced resistance is a novel, valid approach that has been applied to control postharvest diseases of fruit and vegetables by triggering natural resistance using elicitors and increasing host resistance against pathogens (Bi et al, 2020). Studies have shown that exogenous H2S and NaHS treatments potentially enhance plant resistance against various biological or abiotic stresses (Wang, 2012; Guo et al, 2016). NaHS treatment significantly inhibits the decay of fresh-cut pears caused by P. expansum and Aspergillus niger H2S treatment in the present work induces the resistance of apples to P. expansum, and its mechanism of action has not been investigated yet

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion