Penicillium chrysogenum polypeptide extract protects tobacco plants from tobacco mosaic virus infection through modulation of ABA biosynthesis and callose priming

Abstract

The polypeptide extract of the dry mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum (PDMP) can protect tobacco plants from tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), although the potential mechanism underlying PDMP-mediated TMV resistance remains unknown. In our study, we analyzed this potential mechanism via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and found that the ABA biosynthetic pathway and β-1,3-glucanase, a callose-degrading enzyme, might play an important role in the PDMP-induced priming of resistance to TMV. To test our hypothesis, we successfully generated a Nicotiana benthamiana ABA biosynthesis mutant and evaluated the role of the ABA pathway in PDMP-induced callose deposition during plasmodesmata resistance to TMV infection via aniline blue staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunoelectron microscopy. Our results suggested that PDMP can induce callose priming to defend against TMV movement. PDMP inhibited TMV movement by increasing callose deposition around plasmodesmata, but this phenomenon did not occur in the ABA biosynthesis mutant; moreover, these effects of PDMP on callose deposition could be rescued by treatment with exogenous ABA. Our results suggested that callose deposition around plasmodesmata in wild-type plants is mainly responsible for the restriction of TMV movement during the PDMP-induced defensive response to TMV infection and that ABA biosynthesis apparently plays a crucial role in PDMP-induced callose priming for enhancing defense against TMV.

Priming seeds for the future: Plant immune memory and application in crop protection

“…Recent RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that pretreatment with PDMP inhibited TMV movement by increasing callose deposition around plasmodesmata (Li et al, 2021b). However, PDMP-induced callose deposition was not observed in the ABA biosynthesis mutant, which could be rescued by exogenous ABA treatment (Li et al, 2021b). These results suggested that PDMP-pretreatment induced ABA biosynthesis-dependent callose priming to protect tobacco plants from TMV infection (Li et al, 2021b).…”

“…Interestingly, noctuid moth (Spodoptera littoralis) feeding could induce a systemic [Ca 2+ ] cyt elevation in Arabidopsis, but this calcium response in Arabidopsis systemic tissues was not observed upon exposure to the synthetic PAMP flg22 (Cao et al, 2017). Pretreatment with polypeptide extract from dry mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum (PDMP) could induce disease resistance against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in tobacco plants (Li et al, 2021b). Recent RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that pretreatment with PDMP inhibited TMV movement by increasing callose deposition around plasmodesmata (Li et al, 2021b).…”

“…Pretreatment with polypeptide extract from dry mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum (PDMP) could induce disease resistance against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in tobacco plants (Li et al, 2021b). Recent RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that pretreatment with PDMP inhibited TMV movement by increasing callose deposition around plasmodesmata (Li et al, 2021b). However, PDMP-induced callose deposition was not observed in the ABA biosynthesis mutant, which could be rescued by exogenous ABA treatment (Li et al, 2021b).…”

Penicillium chrysogenum, a Vintage Model with a Cutting-Edge Profile in Biotechnology

“…Dry mycelium of P. chrysogenum (DMP) constitutes the residual by-product of industry in penicillin production and does not contain penicillin or live mycelium. DMP has been shown to induce resistance against Fusarium wilt in melon and protect cucumber and tomato plants against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica , while an aqueous extract of DMP induces resistance in several crop species under both controlled and field conditions (see Li et al [ 368 ] and references therein). DMP has been widely used in flue-cured tobacco planting in Yunnan province, China, yielding good economic and ecological benefits [ 369 ].…”

“…DMP has been widely used in flue-cured tobacco planting in Yunnan province, China, yielding good economic and ecological benefits [ 369 ]. Recently, Li et al [ 368 ] analyzed the molecular bases of the protective effect of the DMP polypeptide extract on tobacco plant against TMV infection, concluding that β-1,3-glucanase-mediated callose deposition and the ABA pathway seem to underlie the effect.…”