Peter Geigenberger / Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Martin Lehmann / Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Plant innate immunity plays an important role in protection of plants against a variety of plant pathogens. For instance, in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thalina) successful resistance can be induced in healthy, untreated (systemic) leaves after a primary (local) stimulus by applying specific agents (e.g. salicylic acid (SA) or its analogues). To elucidate possible molecules involved in the signaling pathway from local towards systemic tissues we characterize cell wall-associated proteins and their possible ligands or enzymatic products. One of the proteins involved acts as an extracellular ß-D-xylosidase in the apoplastic space. It potentially alters the cell wall composition by xylan degradation and the release of further cell-wall-derivatives. Infection assays were conducted to reveal the role of this protein and of cell-wall-related carbohydrates in the establishment of innate immunity in more detail. Therefore, the growth of a hemi-biotrophic bacterial pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae, on selected mutant lines was evaluated after a carbohydrate pre-treatment. In addition, changes of metabolites in above-ground plant parts were analyzed by GC-MS in an (un)targeted manner for known and newly identified molecules contributing to innate immune responses.