Bacterial blight of cotton

International audienceBacterial blight of cotton (Gossypium ssp.), caused by Xanthomonas citri pathovar malvacearum, is a severe disease occurring in all cotton-growing areas. The interactions between host plants and the bacteria are based on the gene-for-gene concept, representing a complex resistance gene/avr gene system. In light of the recent data, this review focuses on the understanding of these interactions with emphasis on (1) the genetic basis for plant resist-ance and bacterial virulence, (2) physiological mechanisms involved in the hypersensitive response to the patho-gen, including hormonal signaling, the oxylipin pathway, synthesis of antimicrobial molecules and alteration of host cell structures, and (3) control of the disease

GhERF-IIb3 regulates the accumulation of jasmonate and leads to enhanced cotton resistance to blight disease.

International audienceThe phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) and its derivatives, collectively referred to as jasmonates, regulate many developmental processes, but are also involved in response to numerous abiotic/biotic stresses. Thus far, powerful reverse genetic strategies employing perception, signaling or biosynthesis mutants have broadly contributed to our understanding of JA implication in plant stress response and development; so did the chemical gain-of-function approach based on exogenous application of the hormone. However, there is currently no method that allows for in planta tightly controlled JA production. Investigating the control of the JA synthesis pathway in bacteria-infected cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants, we identified a transcription factor (TF), namely GhERF-IIb3, that could act as positive regulator of the JA pathway. Expression of this well-conserved TF in cotton leaves was sufficient to bring about in situ JA accumulation at physiological concentrations associated with enhanced cotton defense response to bacterial infection

A novel patatin-like protein from cotton plant, GhPat1, is co-expressed with GhLox1 during Xanthomonas campestris-mediated hypersensitive cell death

In cotton plant, Xanthomonas-induced hypersensitive response (HR) is accompanied by a lipid peroxidation process involving a 9-lipoxygenase (LOX), GhLox1. Initiation of this oxidative metabolism implies the release of the LOX substrates, or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Since patatin-like proteins (PLPs) are likely candidates for mediating the latter step, we searched for genes encoding such enzymes, identified and cloned one of them that we named GhPat1. Biochemical and molecular studies showed that GhPat1 expression was up-regulated during the incompatible interaction, prior to the onset of the corresponding galactolipase activity and cell death symptoms in tissues. Protein sequence analysis and modelling also revealed that GhPat1 catalytic amino acids and fold were conserved across plant PLPs. Based on these results and our previous work (Jalloul et al. in Plant J 32:1–12, 2002), a role for GhPat1, in synergy with GhLox1, during HR-specific lipid peroxidation is discussed.Peer reviewe