ML3: a novel regulator of herbivory-induced responses in Arabidopsis thaliana.

ML (MD2-related lipid recognition) proteins are known to enhance innate immune responses in mammals. This study reports the analysis of the putative ML gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana and suggests a role for the ML3 gene in herbivory-associated responses in plants. Feeding by larvae of the Lepidopteran generalist herbivore Spodoptera littoralis and larvae of the specialist herbivore Plutella xylostella activated ML3 transcription in leaf tissues.

Two loci in sorghum with NB-LRR encoding genes confer resistance to Colletotrichum sublineolum.

The aim of this work was to identify plant resistance genes to the sorghum anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum sublineolum. cDNA-AFLP transcript profiling on two contrasting sorghum genotypes inoculated with C. sublineolum generated about 3,000 informative fragments.

A highly conserved NB-LRR encoding gene cluster effective against Setosphaeria turcica in sorghum.

Background: The fungal pathogen Setosphaeria turcica causes turcicum or northern leaf blight disease on maize, sorghum and related grasses. A prevalent foliar disease found worldwide where the two host crops, maize and sorghum are grown. The aim of the present study was to find genes controlling the host defense response to this devastating plant pathogen.

Varied response of Spodoptera littoralis against Arabidopsis thaliana with metabolically engineered glucosinolate profiles.

Upon herbivory glucosinolates are known to be degraded into a cascade of secondary products that can be detrimental for certain herbivores. We performed herbivory bioassays using first and second instar generalist Lepidoptera larvae Spodoptera littoralis on Arabidopsis thaliana engineered to overexpress novel glucosinolates. A differential response in larval feeding patterns was observed on the plants engineered with novel glucosinolates.

Enhancer trapping identifies TRI, an Arabidopsis gene up-regulated by pathogen infection.

Enhancer trap Arabidopsis thaliana plants were screened for genes up-regulated by virus infection. The plants carried T-DNA insertions comprising a minimal -60-bp Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene. Approximately 12,000 plants were assayed for GUS activity before and after rub-inoculation with Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) tagged with the green fluorescent protein (GFP).

TIP, a novel host factor linking callose degradation with the cell-to-cell movement of Potato virus X.

The cell-to-cell movement of Potato virus X (PVX) requires four virus-encoded proteins, the triple gene block (TGB) proteins (TGB25K, TGB12K, and TGB8K) and the coat protein. TGB12K increases the plasmodesmal size exclusion limit (SEL) and may, therefore, interact directly with components of the cell wall or with plant proteins associated with bringing about this change. A yeast two-hybrid screen using TGB12K as bait identified three TGB12K-interacting proteins (TIP1, TIP2, and TIP3).

STY1 and STY2 promote the formation of apical tissues during Arabidopsis gynoecium development.

Gynoecium ontogenesis in Arabidopsis is accomplished by the co-ordinated activity of genes that control patterning and the regional differentiation of tissues, and ultimately results in the formation of a basal ovary, a short style and an apical stigma. A transposon insertion in the STYLISH1 (STY1) gene results in gynoecia with aberrant style morphology, while an insertion mutation in the closely related STYLISH2 (STY2) gene has no visible effect on gynoecium development. However, sty1-1 sty2-1 double mutant plants exhibit an enhanced sty1-1 mutant phenotype and are characterized by a further reduction in the amount of stylar and stigmatic tissues and decreased proliferation of stylar xylem.