Qin Hu, Ling Min, Xiyan Yang, Shuangxia Jin, Lin Zhang, Yaoyao Li, Yizan Ma, Xuewei Qi, Dongqin Li, Hongbo Liu, Keith Lindsey, Longfu Zhu, Xianlong Zhang.2017.Plant Physiology
Abstract
Plants are
constantly challenged by a multitude of pathogens and pests, which causes
massive yield and quality losses annually. A promising approach to reduce such
losses is to enhance the immune system of plants through genetic engineering.
Previous work has shown that laccases (p-diphenol:dioxygen oxidoreductase, EC
1.10.3.2) function as lignin polymerization enzymes. Here we demonstrate that
transgenic manipulation of the expression of the laccase gene GhLac1 in cotton
(Gossypium hirsutum) can confer an enhanced defence response to both pathogens
and pests. Over-expression of GhLac1 leads to increased lignification,
associated with increased tolerance to the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae
and to the insect pests cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and cotton aphid
(Aphis gosypii). Suppression of GhLac1 expression leads to a redirection of
metabolic flux in the phenylpropanoid pathway, leading to the accumulation of
JA and secondary metabolites that confer resistance to Verticillium dahliae and
cotton bollworm; but leads to increased susceptibility to cotton aphid. Plant
laccases therefore provide a new molecular tool to engineer pest and pathogen
resistance in crops
原文链接：http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/early/2017/12/11/pp.17.01628
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.01628