Modulation of defense signal transduction by flagellin-induced WRKY41 transcription factor in Arabidopsis thaliana

Kuniaki Higashi, Yasuhiro Ishiga, Yoshishige Inagaki, Kazuhiro Toyoda, Tomonori Shiraishi, Yuki Ichinose

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

95 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Flagellin, a component of the flagellar filament of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci 6605 (Pta), induces hypersensitive reaction in its non-host Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified the WRKY41 gene, which belongs to a multigene family encoding WRKY plant-specific transcription factors, as one of the flagellin-inducible genes in A. thaliana. Expression of WRKY41 is induced by inoculation with the incompatible pathogen P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pto) possessing AvrRpt2 and the non-host pathogens Pta within 6-h after inoculation, but not by inoculation with the compatible Pto. Expression of WRKY41 was also induced by inoculation of A. thaliana with an hrp-type three secretion system (T3SS)-defective mutant of Pto, indicating that effectors produced by T3SS in the Pto wild-type suppress the activation of WRKY41. Arabidopsis overexpressing WRKY41 showed enhanced resistance to the Pto wild-type but increased susceptibility to Erwinia carotovora EC1. WRKY41-overexpressing Arabidopsis constitutively expresses the PR5 gene, but suppresses the methyl jasmonate-induced PDF1.2 gene expression. These results demonstrate that WRKY41 may be a key regulator in the cross talk of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid pathways.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)303-312
Number of pages10
JournalMolecular Genetics and Genomics
Volume279
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2008

Keywords

  • FLS2
  • Flagellin
  • MAMP signaling pathway
  • WRKY41
  • flg22

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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