Tomato SlMPK4 is required for resistance against Botrytis cinerea and tolerance to drought stress

作者：Virk, Nasar; Liu, Bo; Zhang, Huijuan; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Yafen; Li, Dayong; Song, Fengming^*

来源：Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 2013, 35(4): 1211-1221.

DOI：10.1007/s11738-012-1160-2

• Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MPK)
• SlMPK4
• Disease resistance
• Drought tolerance
• Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) play important roles in biotic and abiotic stress responses. In the present study, we identified a tomato MPK gene, SlMPK4, a possible homolog of Arabidopsis AtMPK4, and performed functional analysis to examine its possible roles in biotic and abiotic responses. Expression of SlMPK4 was induced by infection with Botrytis cinerea and by exogenous application of jasmonic acid and ethylene precursor 1-amino cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid. Knockdown of the endogenous SlMPK4 expression through virus-induced gene silencing in tomato plants (TRV-SlMPK4) resulted in increased susceptibility to B. cinerea. Expression of defense-related genes SlPR1a and SlPR1b were up-regulated in the SlMPK4-silenced plants. Furthermore, silencing of the SlMPK4 gene also resulted in reduced tolerance against drought stress, leading to earlier wilting symptom under drought stress condition, as compared with the control plants. These results suggest important roles for SlMPK4 in disease resistance against B. cinerea and tolerance to drought stress.

• 出版日期2013-4
• 单位浙江大学