Mechanisms underlying iron deficiency-induced resistance against pathogens with different lifestyles.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021;
72:2231-2241. [PMID:
33188427 DOI:
10.1093/jxb/eraa535]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is a poorly available mineral nutrient which affects the outcome of many cross-kingdom interactions. In Arabidopsis thaliana, Fe starvation limits infection by necrotrophic pathogens. Here, we report that Fe deficiency also reduces disease caused by the hemi-biotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae and the biotrophic oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis, indicating that Fe deficiency-induced resistance is effective against pathogens with different lifestyles. Furthermore, we show that Fe deficiency-induced resistance is not caused by withholding Fe from the pathogen but is a plant-mediated defense response that requires activity of ethylene and salicylic acid. Because rhizobacteria-induced systemic resistance (ISR) is associated with a transient up-regulation of the Fe deficiency response, we tested whether Fe deficiency-induced resistance and ISR are similarly regulated. However, Fe deficiency-induced resistance functions independently of the ISR regulators MYB72 and BGLU42, indicating that both types of induced resistance are regulated in a different manner. Mutants opt3 and frd1, which display misregulated Fe homeostasis under Fe-sufficient conditions, show disease resistance levels comparable with those of Fe-starved wild-type plants. Our results suggest that disturbance of Fe homeostasis, through Fe starvation stress or other non-homeostatic conditions, is sufficient to prime the plant immune system for enhanced defense.
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