Signal transduction in the wound response of tomato plants

Research output: Contribution to journalLiterature reviewpeer-review

Abstract

The wound response of tomato plants has been extensively studied, and provides a useful model to understand signal transduction events leading from injury to marker gene expression. The principal markers that have been used in these studies are genes encoding proteinase inhibitor (pin) proteins. Activation of pin genes occurs in the wounded leaf and in distant unwounded leaves of the plant. This paper reviews current understanding of signalling pathways in the wounded leaf and in the systemically responding unwounded leaves. First, the nature of known elicitors and their potential roles in planta are discussed, in particular, oligogalacturonides, jasmonates and the peptide signal, systemin. Inhibitors of wound-induced proteinase inhibitor (pin) expression are also reviewed, with particular reference to phenolics, sulphydryl reagents and fusicoccin. In each section, results obtained from the bioassay are considered within the wider context of data from mutants and from transgenic plants with altered levels of putative signalling components. Following this introduction, current models for pin gene regulation are described and discussed, together with a summary for the involvement of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation in wound signalling. Finally, a new model for wound-induced pin gene expression is presented, arising from recent data from the author's laboratory.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1495-1510
Number of pages16
JournalPhilosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society Of London Series B - Biological Sciences
Volume353
Issue number1374
Publication statusPublished - 29 Sept 1998

Keywords

  • signalling
  • wound
  • tomato
  • gene regulation
  • jasmonates
  • proteinase inhibitors
  • PROTEINASE-INHIBITOR-II
  • ALLENE OXIDE SYNTHASE
  • JASMONIC ACID BIOSYNTHESIS
  • MEMBRANE H+-ATPASE
  • ABSCISIC-ACID
  • PLASMA-MEMBRANE
  • METHYL JASMONATE
  • ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA
  • OCTADECANOID PATHWAY
  • DEFENSIVE GENES

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