April
2002
, Volume
15
, Number
4
Pages
404
-
407
Authors
Isabel
Vercauteren
,
Janice
de Almeida Engler
,
Ruth
De Groodt
,
and
Godelieve
Gheysen
Affiliations
Vakgroep Moleculaire Genetica and Departement Plantengenetica, Vlaams Interuniversitair Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Universiteit Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
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RelatedArticle
Accepted 14 December 2001.
Abstract
By using differential display, gene expression was investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana roots shortly after nematode infection, and a putative pectin acetylesterase (PAE) homolog (DiDi 9C-12) was found to be upregulated. PAEs catalyze the deacetylation of pectin, a major compound of primary cell walls. mRNA in situ hybridization experiments showed that the expression of DiDi 9C-12 was enhanced very early after infection in initiating giant-cells and in cells surrounding the nematodes. Later on, the level of DiDi 9C-12 mRNA was lower in giant-cells and transcripts were mainly found in parenchyma, endodermis, and pericycle cells of the root gall. Twenty days after infection, DiDi 9C-12 transcripts could no longer be detected. DiDi 9C-12 transcripts were also found in young syncytia and in the cells surrounding the expanding syncytium. Our results suggest that plant parasitic nematodes can modulate the rapid growth of the feeding cells and the expansion of the root gall by triggering the expression of DiDi 9C-12. PAEs, which probably act together with a range of other pectin-degrading enzymes, could be involved in softening and loosening the primary cell wall in nematode-infected plant roots.
JnArticleKeywords
Additional keywords:
Heterodera schachtii
,
Meloidogyne incognita.
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ArticleCopyright
© 2002 The American Phytopathological Society