Selected strains of rhizobacteria induce systemic resistance in plant (ISR), enhancing the capacity to mobilize infection-induced cellular defense responses (priming). Bacillus sp. CHEP5 and Pseudomonas sp BREN6 strains reduced root and... more
Selected strains of rhizobacteria induce systemic resistance in plant (ISR), enhancing the capacity to mobilize infection-induced cellular defense responses (priming). Bacillus sp. CHEP5 and Pseudomonas sp BREN6 strains reduced root and stem wilt disease severity caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Arachis hypogaea L. Strains inoculation increased the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and peroxidase, after pathogen-challenge, indicating priming. CHEP5 primes plants to produce more ethylene upon stimulation with ACC. A. hypogaea L is an ISR-positive plant and BREN6 and CHEP5 strains enhance the plant’s defense capacity by priming for potentiated activity of defense proteins and ACC-converting capacity.► A. hypogaea L. (peanut) is an ISR-positive plant. ► ISR response protects peanut from root and stem wilt caused by S. rolfsii. ► ISR is associated with an enhanced capacity to convert ACC to ethylene in systemic tissues.
Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) catalyzes the biosynthesis of rosmarinic acid (RA) in Rosmarinus officinalis. Increases in RA content in plant tissue in vitro coincided with increases in PAL activity. The activity of the gene... more
Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) catalyzes the biosynthesis of rosmarinic acid (RA) in Rosmarinus officinalis. Increases in RA content in plant tissue in vitro coincided with increases in PAL activity. The activity of the gene responsible for the production of the PAL enzyme in five rosemary genotypes was investigated to better understand the accumulation of RA. The expression of the PAL gene
In Vanilla planifolia pods, development of flavor precursors is dependent on the phenylpropanoid pathway. The distinctive vanilla aroma is produced by numerous phenolic compounds of which vanillin is the most important. Because of the... more
In Vanilla planifolia pods, development of flavor precursors is dependent on the phenylpropanoid pathway. The distinctive vanilla aroma is produced by numerous phenolic compounds of which vanillin is the most important. Because of the economic importance of vanilla, vanillin biosynthetic pathways have been extensively studied but agreement has not yet been reached on the processes leading to its accumulation. In order to explore the transcriptional control exerted on these pathways, five key phenylpropanoid genes expressed during pod development were identified and their mRNA accumulation profiles were evaluated during pod development and maturation using quantitative real-time PCR. As a prerequisite for expression analysis using qRT-PCR, five potential reference genes were tested, and two genes encoding Actin and EF1 were shown to be the most stable reference genes for accurate normalization during pod development. For the first time, genes encoding a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (V...
The conversion of alpha-phenylalanine to beta-phenylalanine is the first committed step in the biosynthesis of the C-13 side chain of Taxol. Thus, the novel enzyme responsible for this step, phenylalanine aminomutase (PAM), is of... more
The conversion of alpha-phenylalanine to beta-phenylalanine is the first committed step in the biosynthesis of the C-13 side chain of Taxol. Thus, the novel enzyme responsible for this step, phenylalanine aminomutase (PAM), is of considerable interest for studies of Taxol biosynthesis and represents a potential target for genetic engineering. A method is described for purifying PAM from Taxus chinensis cell cultures. The purified enzyme has a K(m) of 1.1mM, a V(max) of 110.1 microm/min/mg protein, a pH optimum of 7.5-8.0, and a denatured molecular weight of about 80 kDa. Peptide sequences derived from the purified protein were used to design and synthesize degenerate primers enabling the PCR synthesis of the PAM cDNA. The PAM cDNA encodes a protein of 687 amino acid residues with a deduced molecular weight of 75.3 kDa. The PAM cDNA was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and PAM activity was demonstrated. As a gene symbol for the PAM enzyme, pam is proposed. Protein sequence alignments of PAM, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and histidine ammonia-lyase (HAL) sequences exhibit significant similarity providing insight into potential active site residues of PAM.
In this paper, we describe a study concerning the determination of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activities leading to decline in disease progress caused by Rhizoctonia solani after application of salicylic acid (SA). Two applications... more
In this paper, we describe a study concerning the determination of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activities leading to decline in disease progress caused by Rhizoctonia solani after application of salicylic acid (SA). Two applications of 1.4 mM SA (pH 6.5) followed by inoculation with Rhizoctonia solani resulted in a quantitative change in polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (PRX) isoforms and increase in PAL activities from 4.38 to 19.48 unit g−1 (FM) h−1 in Bundel-1, UPC-4200 and IFC-902 cowpea genotypes. Increase in PAL activities was further observed specifically in UPC-4200 when plants were exposed with Rhizoctonia solani spores. Total soluble proteins did not change after SA treatment, however they were significantly increased in SA sprayed-inoculated UPC-4200 genotype. Of the ten detected isoforms of polyphenol oxidase, isoforms 7 and 10, and isoform 4 of peroxidase showed increased activities by SA application. The disease symptoms measured as areas under progress curve (AUDPC) indicated less A value in SA sprayed Bundel-1 and UPC-4200 genotypes over their controls.
Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in managing bacterial canker disease of tomato was studied in the present work. Tomato seeds were treated with PGPR strains viz., Bacillus pumilus INR7, Bacillus pumilus SE34, Bacillus pumilus... more
Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in managing bacterial canker disease of tomato was studied in the present work. Tomato seeds were treated with PGPR strains viz., Bacillus pumilus INR7, Bacillus pumilus SE34, Bacillus pumilus T4, Bacillus subtilis GBO3, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens IN937a and Brevibacillus brevis IPC11 were subjected for seed germination and seedling vigor. Among the PGPR strains tested, only three strains (IN937a, GBO3 and IPC11) which showed enhancement in the seed quality parameters like seed germination and seedling vigor, were further subjected for estimation of one of the defence-related enzymes, Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) with total phenol contents. The same three strains were recorded for maximum disease protection under greenhouse conditions. The level of PAL and total phenol contents increased significantly upon the PGPR treatment. The rate of reduction in the bacterial canker disease incidence was directly proportional to the amount of increased level of PAL and total phenol content. The possible uses of these PGPR strains in effective management of bacterial canker of tomato were discussed in the present work.
Hairy roots of Brugmansia candida produce the tropane alkaloids scopolamine and hyoscyamine. In an attempt to divert the carbon flux from competing pathways and thus enhance productivity, the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors... more
Hairy roots of Brugmansia candida produce the tropane alkaloids scopolamine and hyoscyamine. In an attempt to divert the carbon flux from competing pathways and thus enhance productivity, the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors cyclohexylamine (CHA) and methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhy, drazone (MGBG) and the phenylalamine-ammonia-lyase inhibitor cinnamic acid were used. CHA decreased the specific productivity of both alkaloids but increased significantly the release of scopolamine (approx 500%) when it was added in the mid-exponential phase. However, when CHA was added for only 48 h during the exponential phase, the specific productivity of both alkaloids increased (approx 200%), favoring scopolamine. Treatment with MGBG was detrimental to growth but promoted release into the medium of both alkaloids. However, when it was added for 48 h during the exponential phase, MGBG increased the specific productivity (approx 200%) and release (250–1800%) of both alkaloids. Cinnamic acid alone also favored release but not specific productivity. When a combination of CHA or MGBG with cinnamic acid was used, the results obtained were approximately the same as with each polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor alone, although to a lesser extent. Regarding root morphology, CHA inhibited growth of primary roots and ramification. However, it had a positive effect on elongation of lateral roots.
Tomato root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a major soilborne disease resulting in significant yield loss. The culture filtrates of six isolates of Trichoderma/Hypocrea species were evaluated for in vitro production of hydrolytic... more
Tomato root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a major soilborne disease resulting in significant yield loss. The culture filtrates of six isolates of Trichoderma/Hypocrea species were evaluated for in vitro production of hydrolytic enzymes. Results demonstrated that all the six isolates were able to produce chitinase, β-1, 3 glucanase and protease in the range of 76–235 μmol GlcNAc min-1 mg-1 protein, 31.90–37.72 nmol glucose min-1 mg-1 proteins and 63.05–86.22 μmol min-1 mg-1 proteins, respectively. Trichoderma/Hypocrea-based formulation(s) were prepared with chitin (1% v:v) and CMC (0.5% w:v) for root rot management in a greenhouse. Root dip application with bioformulation(s) resulted in a significant reduction of the root rot index. In addition, bioformulations increased plant growth attributing traits significantly relative to untreated control. Accumulation of total phenols, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase increased in chitin-supplemented Trichoderma/Hypocrea formulation-treated plants challenged with R. solani. The results suggest that chitin-fortified bioformulation(s) could be an effective system to control root rot of tomato in an eco-compatible manner.
We investigated on important parameters of induced resistance in hydroponic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) against Ralstonia solanacearum using the elicitors chitosan (CHT), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA). The increase in... more
We investigated on important parameters of induced resistance in hydroponic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) against Ralstonia solanacearum using the elicitors chitosan (CHT), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA). The increase in total phenolic content of roots by the elicitors was significantly higher than control. Most pronounced increase in lignin synthesis was triggered by SA followed by CHT. At 24 h post-elicitation (hpe), the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase was 4.5 times higher than control elicited by CHT. The peroxidase activity was about 86 nkat/mg protein at 24 hpe in case of SA and 78 nkat/mg protein in case of CHT. The activity of polyphenol oxidase increased several folds by the elicitors. Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity increased to the maximum at 48 hpe under the influence of CHT. The results indicate that the elicitors SA and CHT induced effective defense responses in tomato plants against R. solanacearum. This was evident from reduced vascular br...
