Tobacco genes encoding acidic and basic isoforms of pathogenesis-related proteins display different expression patterns

• Published in: Plant molecular biology Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 119 - 126
• Main Authors: MEMELINK, J, LINTHORST, H. J. M, SCHILPEROORT, R. A, HOGE, J. H. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-02-1990
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; Genes, Plant; Light; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana - microbiology; Nicotiana tabacum; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plants, Toxic; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - isolation & purification; tobacco mosaic virus; Tobacco Mosaic Virus - genetics; Tobacco Mosaic Virus - pathogenicity; Transformation, Genetic; Chitinase; Enzyme; Induction; Ethylene; Gene expression; Nicotiana tabacum; Cytokinin; Stress; Messenger RNA; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Isoform; Spermatophyta; Ratio; Solanaceae; Comparative study; Glucanase
• ISSN: 0167-4412; 1573-5028
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00018553

The induction by cytokinin stress and ethylene of nine different tobacco mosaic virus-inducible mRNA classes (termed A-I) encoding pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins was studied. The induced mRNA levels were compared to basal levels in healthy tobacco plants grown in tissue culture and in a greenhouse. Cytokinin stress and ethylene were found to induce different subsets of the mRNAs, indicating that ethylene is not the primary inducing signal in cytokinin-stressed shoots. mRNAs F, H and G encoding the basic hydrolytic enzymes chitinase, beta-1,3-glucanase and a basic equivalent of PR-1, respectively, were found to be expressed at high levels in roots of healthy plants. mRNAs D, I and B encoding the acidic equivalents of the proteins proved to be present at low levels in healthy plants. These results indicate that genes encoding basic and acidic isoforms of pathogenesis-related proteins are differentially regulated.