Influence of Root Colonizing Bacteria on the Defense Responses of Bean

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1992

Keywords

chemiluminescence, fluorescent pseudomonads, induced resistance, pathogenesis-related proteins, Phaseolus vulgaris

Abstract

Colonization of plant roots by fluorescent pseudomonads has been correlated with disease suppression. One mechanism may involve altered defense responses in the plant upon colonization. Altered defense responses were observed in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) inoculated with fluorescent pseudomonads. Systemic effects of root inoculation by Pseudomonas putida isolate Corvallis, P. tolaasii (P9A) and P. aureofaciens REW1-I-1 were observed in bean leaves from 14-day-old plants. SDS- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that levels of certain acid-soluble proteins increased in the leaf extracts of inoculated plants. Plants inoculated with REW1-I-1 produced more of a 57 Mr protein, and plants inoculated with isolates P9A and REW1-I-1 produced more of a 38 Mr protein. Northern hybridization revealed enhanced accumulation of mRNAs, that encode the pathogenesis-related protein PR1a, in leaves of plants inoculated with P. putida and REW1-I-1. Only REW1-I-1, but not P9A or P. putida induced symptoms of an hypersensitive response on tobacco leaves, bean cotyledons, and in bean suspension cultures. Phenolics and phytoalexins accumulated in bean cotyledons exposed to REW1-I-1 for 24 h but little change in levels of these compounds occurred in cotyledons inoculated with P9A and P. putida. Both suspension culture cells and roots treated with REW1-I-1 rapidly evolved more hydrogen peroxide than those exposed to P9A and P. putida. However, roots from 14-day-old plants colonized by P9A, P. putida or REW1-I-1 did not have higher levels of phenolics, phytoalexins or mRNAs for two enzymes involved in phenolic biosynthesis, phenylalanine-ammonia lyase and chalcone synthase. A selective induction of plant defense strategies upon root colonization by certain pseudomonads is apparent. © 1992, Kluwer Academic Publishers. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

Plant and Soil: An International Journal on Plant-Soil Relationships

Volume

140

Issue

1

First Page

99

Last Page

107

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00012811

First Department

Biology

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