Using metabolic profiling to assess plant-pathogen interactions: an example using rice (Oryza sativa) and the blast pathogen Magnaporthe grisea

Abstract

A metabolomics based approach has been used to study the infection of the Hwacheong rice cultivar (Oryza sativa L. cv. Hwacheong) with compatible (KJ201) and incompatible (KJ401) strains of the rice blast fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea. The metabolic response of the rice plants to each strain was assessed 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h post inoculation. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Gas and Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass spectrometry (GC/LC-MS/MS) were used to study both aqueous and organic phase metabolites, collectively resulting in the identification of 93 compounds. Clear metabolic profiles were observed at each time point but there were no significant differences in the metabolic response elicited by each pathogen strain until 24 h post inoculation. The largest change was found to be in alanine, which was~30% (±9%) higher in the leaves from the compatible, compared to the resistant, plants. Together with several other metabolites (malate, Eur J Plant Pathol (glutamine, proline, cinnamate and an unknown sugar) alanine exhibited a good correlation between time of fungal penetration into the leaf and the divergence of metabolite profiles in each interaction. The results indicate both that a wide range of metabolites can be identified in rice leaves and that metabolomics has potential for the study of biochemical changes in plant-pathogen interactions.

The role of sugar signaling in plant defense responses against fungal pathogens

“…These stresses also include sugar starvation and metabolism disorders caused by pathogen attack. Jones et al (2011) showed that in rice infested by Magnaporthe grisea sensitive cultivars had a lower level of metabolites involved in energy metabolism than cultivars resistant to that fungus. At a threat of cell energy deficit SnRK1 regulates the expression of over 1,000 genes, restoring cell homeostasis by repressing energy-intensive anabolic pathways and activating catabolism genes (Baena-Gonzalez 2010).…”

Metabolic fingerprinting of Tomato Mosaic Virus infected Solanum lycopersicum

“…Our group has been applying this technology to the detection and structure elucidation of metabolites in plants upon 105 treatment with a wide range of biotic and abiotic stress agents (Choi et al, 2004;Simoh et al, 2009;Jahangir et al, 2009;Mirnezhad et al, 2010;Simoh et al, 2010). In recent years, very detailed NMR metabolomic studies on both compatible and incompatible plant-pathogen interactions have been reported (Lima et al, 2010;Bollina et al, 2010;Ward et al, 2010;Jones et al, 2011). 110…”

NMR metabolite comparison of local pigmented rice in Yogyakarta

“…The TSP was used as a reference at δ 0.00. The metabolites were identified based on the 1 H-NMR spectra and comparisons with the NMR spectra of the reference compounds and published literatures (Fan 1996;Dai et al 2010;Kim et al 2010;Jones et al 2011;Nuringtyas et al 2012;Nam et al 2015;Uawisetwathana et al 2015;Liu et al 2017;Pramai et al 2017).…”