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Plant-endophyte interplay protects tomato against a virulent Verticillium

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Abstract

Endophytes, bacterial, fungal or viral, colonize plants often without causing visible symptoms. More important, they may benefit host plants in many ways, most notably by preventing diseases caused by normally virulent pathogens. Craigella tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) can be infected with Verticillium dahliae Kleb., either race 1 (Vd1) or a non-host isolate Dvd-E6 resulting in susceptibility or tolerance, respectively. The present study sought to determine whether Dvd-E6 is endophytic and can protect tomato against Vd1. The total amount of Verticillium in stems and roots was determined by quantitative PCR; the relative amounts of Vd1 and Dvd-E6 were assessed by restriction fragment polymorphism. When Dvd-E6 infects before or together with Vd1, Vd1 is excluded almost completely from the root but, when Vd1 infects first, Dvd-E6 can compete on an equal basis. Previous studies suggested that Dvd-E6 suppresses symptom-related genes, raising the possibility that Dvd-E6 simultaneously induces tolerance to Vd1. This does not seem to be entirely the case since the minimal symptoms following Vd1 infection of Dvd-E6 tolerant Craigella result, at least in part, from restricted Vd1 colonization. Furthermore, when Vd1 and Dvd-E6 are cultured on PDA plates alone or together, the growth rates are similar and neither is inhibitory to the other. Dvd-E6 does not outgrow or inhibit Vd1, in vitro. The protective effect apparently requires interplay between Dvd-E6 and the plant. Expression analyses of tomato genes involved in resistance and defence support this interpretation.

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Abbreviations

BP:

Base pair

CDK:

Cyclin dependent kinase

CS:

cv Craigella susceptible

Dpi:

Days post-inoculation

E6:

V. dahliae isolate Dvd-E6

ITS:

Internal transcribed spacer

PR:

Pathogen-related

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

RT:

Reverse transcription

SDS:

Sodium dodecylsulphate

Vd1:

Verticillium dahliae race 1

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. K. Dobinson (Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, London) for the Dvd-E6 isolate of Verticillium dahliae. We also thank B. Lee and the staff of the University of Guelph core microarray facility for technical help. This study was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship to H. Shittu and an Ontario Graduate Scholarship to D. Castroverde.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Hakeem O. Shittu, Danve C. M. Castroverde, Ross N. Nazar & Jane Robb

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  1. Hakeem O. Shittu
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  2. Danve C. M. Castroverde
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  3. Ross N. Nazar
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  4. Jane Robb
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Correspondence to Jane Robb.

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Shittu, H.O., Castroverde, D.C.M., Nazar, R.N. et al. Plant-endophyte interplay protects tomato against a virulent Verticillium . Planta 229, 415–426 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-008-0840-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-008-0840-z

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