Elucidation of the novel immune system initiated from the leaf surface

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19334
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 44:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Tada Yasuomi 名古屋大学, 遺伝子実験施設, 教授 (40552740)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 植物免疫 / 機械刺激 / 物理刺激 / トライコーム / 情報伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To clarify if the trichome-dependent immune system is a general response, a wide variety of plants with different leaf structures were subjected to mechanical stimulation. We found MAPK activation as a typical response of mechanosensitive immunity.
Then, various plants were mechanically stimulated and used for RNA-seq analysis. In each plant species, the homologs of the mechanosensitive genes identified in Arabidopsis thaliana were confirmed. The expression levels of these genes were significantly increased in most samples. Finally, GO analysis revealed that mechanical stimulation activates plant immunity in these plants.

Free Research Field

植物免疫

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

トライコーム依存的な免疫システムは、PTI及びETIに先んじて誘導される第１層目の疾病防御機構として確立されることが期待される。トライコーム非保有植物種においては、他の免疫システムを獲得し、病原体の侵入を阻害していると考えられる。本研究は、植物の形態に基づく新奇な植物免疫システムを明らかにする極めて挑戦的な課題であり、基礎研究から疾病防除法の開発にも貢献するものと考えられる。