Enhancing Disease Resistance in Poplar Through Modification of Its Natural Defense Pathway

摘要: KEY MESSAGE Modification of the poplar defense pathway through pathogen-induced expression an amphibian host peptide modulates plant innate immunity and confers robust reliable resistance against a major pathogen, Septoria musiva. Host peptides (HDPs), also known as cationic antimicrobial peptides, represent diverse group small membrane-active molecules that are part system their hosts pathogen invasion. Here we describe strategy for development plants with enhanced HDP production to commercially significant fungal The naturally occurring linear amphipathic α-helical dermaseptin B1, which has 31 residues originated from skin secretion arboreal frogs, was N-terminally modified (MsrA2) evaluated in vitro antifungal activity phytotoxicity. MsrA2 inhibited germination S. musiva conidia at physiologically relevant low micromolar concentrations were non-toxic protoplasts. nucleotide sequence MsrA2, optimized plants, introduced into commercial hybrid Populus nigra L. × P. maximowiczii A. Henry (NM6) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgene regulated by pathogen-inducible promoter win3.12T, system. Most importantly, induced accumulation leaves sufficient confer high strong reproducible, without deleterious effects on growth development. These results provide insight new technologies engineering durable disease pathogens other plants.