Publikationen - Molekulare Signalverarbeitung

In this study, we characterized two sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) lines with differential sensitivity to drought, the sensitive line B59 and the tolerant line B71. Using both lines, we compared the content of endogenous jasmonates (JAs) in dry and imbibed seeds from plants grown under irrigation and drought. Jasmonic acid (JA), 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), 11-hydroxyjasmonate (11-OH-JA) and 12-hydroxyjasmonate (12-OH-JA) were detected in dry and imbibed sunflower seeds. Seeds from plants grown under drought had a lower content of total JAs and exhibited higher germination percentages than seeds from irrigated plants, demonstrating that environmental conditions have a strong influence on the progeny. OPDA and 12-OH-JA were the main compounds found in dry seeds of both lines. Imbibed seeds showed an enhanced amount of total JAs with respect to dry seeds produced by plants grown in both soil moisture conditions. Imbibition triggered a dramatic OPDA increase in the embryo, suggesting a role of this compound in germination. We conclude that JAs patterns vary during sunflower germination and that the environmental conditions experienced by the mother plant modify the hormonal content of the seed progeny.

There is considerable evidence suggesting that jasmonates (JAs) play a role in plant resistance against abiotic stress. It is well known that in Angiosperms JAs are involved in the defense response, however there is little information about their role in Gymnosperms. Our proposal was to study the involvement of JAs in Pinus pinaster Ait. reaction to cold and water stress, and to compare the response of two populations of different provenances (Gredos and Bajo Tiétar) to these stresses. We detected 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), jasmonic acid (JA), and the hydroxylates 11-hydroxyjasmonate and 12-hydroxyjasmonate in foliage and shoots of P. pinaster plants. The response of the Gredos population to cold stress differed from that of Bajo Tiétar. Gredos plants showed a lower JA-basal level than Bajo Tiétar; under cold stress JA increased twofold at 72 h, while it decreased in Bajo Tiétar plants. The hydroxylates slightly increased in both populations due to cold stress treatment. Under water stress, plants from Gredos showed a remarkable JA-increase; thus the JA-response was much more prominent under water stress than under cold stress. In contrast, no change was found in JA-level in Bajo Tiétar plants under water stress. The level of JA-precursor, OPDA, was very low in control plants from Gredos and Bajo Tiétar. Under water stress OPDA increased only in plants from Bajo Tiétar. Therefore, we inform here of a different JAs-accumulation pattern after the stress treatment in P. pinaster from two provenances, and suggest a possible correlation with adaptations to diverse ecological conditions.

Three chimeric gene constructs were designed comprising the full length cDNA of a lipoxygenase (LOX) from barley (LOX2:Hv:1) including its chloroplast targeting sequence (cTP) under control of either (1) CaMV35S- or (2) polyubiquitin-1-promoter, whereas the third plasmid contains 35S promoter and the cDNA without cTP. Transgenic barley plants overexpressing LOX2:Hv:1 were generated by biolistics of scutella from immature embryos. Transformation frequency for 35S::LOX with or without cTP was in a range known for barley particle bombardment, whereas for Ubi::cTP-LOX no transgenic plants were detected. In general, a high number of green plantlets selected on bialaphos became yellow and finally died either in vitro or after potting. All transgenic plants obtained were phenotypically indistinguishable from wild type plants and all of them set seeds. The corresponding protein (LOX-100) in transgenic T0 and T1 plants accumulated constitutively to similar levels as in the jasmonic acid methyl ester (JAME)-treated wild type plants. Moreover, LOX-100 was clearly detectable immunocytochemically within the chloroplasts of untreated T0 plants containing the LOX-100-cDNA with the chloroplast target sequence. In contrast, an exclusive localization of LOX-100 in the cytoplasm was detectable when the target sequence was removed. In comparison to sorbitol-treated wild type leaves, analysis of oxylipin profiles in T2 progenies showed higher levels of jasmonic acid (JA) for those lines that displayed elevated levels of LOX-100 in the chloroplasts and for those lines that harboured LOX-100 in the cytoplasm, respectively. The studies demonstrate for the first time the constitutive overexpression of a cDNA coding for a 13-LOX in a monocotyledonous species and indicate a link between the occurrence of LOX-100 and senescence.

Immature scutella of barley were transformed with cDNA coding for a 13-lipoxygenase of barley (LOX-100) via particle bombardment. Regenerated plants were tested by PAT-assay, Western-analysis and PCR-screening. Immunocytochemical assay of T0 plants showed expression of the LOX cDNA both in the chloroplasts and in the cytosol, depending on the presence of the chloroplast signal peptide sequences in the cDNA. A few transgenic plants containing higher amounts of LOX-derived products have been found. These are the candidates for further analysis concerning pathogen resistance.

Although jasmonates (JAs) are involved in germination and seedling development, the regulatory mechanism of JAs, and their relation with endogenous level modifications in these processes, is not well understood. We report here the detection of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), jasmonic acid (JA), 11-hydroxyjasmonate (11-OH-JA), 12-hydroxyjasmonate (12-OH-JA) and methyljasmonate (JAME) in unimbibed seeds and seedlings of tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. Moneymaker (wild type) and tss1, tss2, tos1 mutants. The main compounds in wild-type and tss1, tss2, tos1 seeds were the hydroxylate-JAs; 12-OH-JA was the major component in dry seeds of the wild type and in tss2 and tos1. The amounts of these derivatives were higher in seeds than in seedlings. Changes in JAs during wild-type and tss1 imbibition were analysed in seeds and the imbibition water. In wild-type imbibed seeds, 11-OH-JA content was higher than in tss1. 12-OH-JA showed a different tendency with respect to 11-OH-JA, with high levels in the wild type at early imbibition. In tss1, levels of 12-OH-JA rose from 24 to 48 h of imbibition. At 72 h of imbibition, when radicles had emerged, the amounts of both hydroxylates in wild-type and tss1 seeds were minimal. An important release of the hydroxylate forms was observed in the imbibition water. 11-OH-JA decreased in the imbibition water of wild-type seeds at 48 h. On the contrary, a high and sustained liberation of this compound was observed in tss1 after 24 h. 12-OH-JA increased in wild-type as well in tss1 until 24 h. Thereafter, a substantial reduction in the content of this compound was registered. NaCl-treated wild-type seedlings increased their 12-OH-JA, but tss1 seedlings increased their JA in response to salt treatment. In tss2 seedlings, NaCl caused a slight decrease in 11-OH-JA and JAME, whereas tos1 seedlings showed a dramatic OPDA and 12-OH-JA decrease in response to salt treatment. Under salt stress the mutant seedlings showed different patterns of JAs according to their differential hypersensitivity to abiotic stress. The JA-hydroxylate forms found, and the differential accumulation of JAs during germination, imbibition and seedling development, as well as their response to NaCl stress, provide new evidence about the control of many developmental processes by JA.

Jasmonic acid biosynthesis occurs in leaves and there is also evidence of a similar pathway in roots. The expression of lipoxygenase, allene oxide cyclase and low amounts of transcripts of allene oxide synthase in tomato roots indicates that some steps of the jasmonate synthesis may occur in these organs. Thus, the aim of the present work was to study the jasmonate and octadecanoid occurrence in tomato roots using isolated cultures of hairy roots. These were obtained by the transformation of cv. Pera roots with Agrobacterium rhyzogenes. Also we investigated the effect of NaCl stress on the endogenous levels of these compounds. Jasmonic acid, 12-oxophytodienoic acid and their methylated derivatives, as well as a jasmonate-isoleucine conjugate, were present in control hairy roots of 30 d of culture. The 12-oxophytodienoic acid and its methylated derivative showed higher levels than jasmonic acid and its methylated form, although the content of the conjugate was the same as that of jasmonic acid. After salinization of hairy roots for 14, 20 and 30 d, free jasmonates and octadecanoids were measured. Fourteen days after salt treatment, increased levels of these compounds were found, jasmonic acid and 12-oxophytodienoic acid showed the most remarkable rise. 11-OH-jasmonic acid was found at 14 d of culture in control and salt-treated hairy roots; whereas the 12-OH- form of jasmonic acid was only detected in the salt-treated hairy roots. Agrobacterium rhizogenes cultures did not produce jasmonates and/or octadecanoids.

The most abundant jasmonate-induced protein (JIP) in barley leaves is a 23 kDa protein (JIP23). Its function, however, is unknown. In order to analyze its function by homologous transformation, new plasmid vectors have been constructed. They carry the cDNA coding for JIP23 in sense or antisense orientation under the control of the Ubi-1-promoter as well as the pat resistance gene under the control of the 35S promoter. Barley mesophyll protoplasts were transiently transformed with the sense constructs. PAT activity and immunological detection of JIP23 could be achieved in transformed protoplasts but not in untransformed protoplasts indicating that the construct was active. Thus, these new vectors are suitable for stable transformation of barley. Carrying a multiple cloning site (MCS), these vectors can be used now in a wide range of transformation of barley.

In the present paper we study the possible biological relevance of endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and exogenous salicylic acid (SA) in a plant-microbial system maize-virus. The virus disease "Mal de Río Cuarto" is caused by the maize rough dwarf virus - Río Cuarto. The characteristic symptoms are the appearance of galls or "enations" in leaves, shortening of the stem internodes, poor radical system and general stunting. Changes in JA and protein pattern in maize control and infected plants of a virus-tolerant cultivar were investigated. Healthy and infected-leaf discs were collected for JA measurement at different post-infection times (20, 40, 60 and 68 days). JA was also measured in roots on day 60 after infection. For SDS-PAGE protein analysis, leaf discs were also harvested on day 60 after infection. Infected leaves showed higher levels of JA than healthy leaves, and the rise in endogenous JA coincided with the enation formation. The soluble protein amount did not show differences between infected and healthy leaves; moreover, no difference in the expression of soluble protein was revealed by SDS-PAGE. Our results show that the octadecanoid pathway was stimulated in leaves and roots of the tolerant maize cultivar when infected by this virus. This finding, together with fewer plants with the disease symptoms, suggest that higher foliar and roots JA content may be related to disease tolerance. SA exogenous treatment caused the reversion of the dwarfism symptom.