TY - JOUR
T1 - Pectin Methylesterases Modulate Plant Homogalacturonan Status in Defenses against the Aphid Myzus persicae
AU - Silva-Sanzana, Christian
AU - Celiz-Balboa, Jonathan
AU - Garzo, Elisa
AU - Marcus, Susan E.
AU - Pablo Parra-Rojas, Juan
AU - Rojas, Barbara
AU - Olmedo, Patricio
AU - Rubilar, Miguel A.
AU - Rios, Ignacio
AU - Chorbadjian, Rodrigo A.
AU - Fereres, Alberto
AU - Knox, Paul
AU - Saez-Aguayo, Susana
AU - Blanco-Herrera, Francisca
PY - 2019/8/1
Y1 - 2019/8/1
N2 - Because they suck phloem sap and act as vectors for phytopathogenic viruses, aphids pose a threat to crop yields worldwide. Pectic homogalacturonan (HG) has been described as a defensive element for plants during infections with phytopathogens. However, its role during aphid infestation remains unexplored. Using immunofluorescence assays and biochemical approaches, the HG methylesterification status and associated modifying enzymes during the early stage of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) infestation with the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) were analyzed. Additionally, the influence of pectin methylesterase (PME) activity on aphid settling and feeding behavior was evaluated by free choice assays and the Electrical Penetration Graph technique, respectively. Our results revealed that HG status and HG-modifying enzymes are significantly altered during the early stage of the plant-aphid interaction. Aphid infestation induced a significant increase in total PME activity and methanol emissions, concomitant with a decrease in the degree of HG methylesterification. Conversely, inhibition of PME activity led to a significant decrease in the settling and feeding preference of aphids. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the PME inhibitor AtPMEI13 has a defensive role during aphid infestation, since pmei13 mutants are significantly more susceptible to M. persicae in terms of settling preference, phloem access, and phloem sap drainage.
AB - Because they suck phloem sap and act as vectors for phytopathogenic viruses, aphids pose a threat to crop yields worldwide. Pectic homogalacturonan (HG) has been described as a defensive element for plants during infections with phytopathogens. However, its role during aphid infestation remains unexplored. Using immunofluorescence assays and biochemical approaches, the HG methylesterification status and associated modifying enzymes during the early stage of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) infestation with the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) were analyzed. Additionally, the influence of pectin methylesterase (PME) activity on aphid settling and feeding behavior was evaluated by free choice assays and the Electrical Penetration Graph technique, respectively. Our results revealed that HG status and HG-modifying enzymes are significantly altered during the early stage of the plant-aphid interaction. Aphid infestation induced a significant increase in total PME activity and methanol emissions, concomitant with a decrease in the degree of HG methylesterification. Conversely, inhibition of PME activity led to a significant decrease in the settling and feeding preference of aphids. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the PME inhibitor AtPMEI13 has a defensive role during aphid infestation, since pmei13 mutants are significantly more susceptible to M. persicae in terms of settling preference, phloem access, and phloem sap drainage.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071113134&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1105/tpc.19.00136
DO - 10.1105/tpc.19.00136
M3 - Article
C2 - 31126981
VL - 31
SP - 1913
EP - 1929
JO - Plant Cell
JF - Plant Cell
SN - 1040-4651
IS - 8
ER -