Neuhaus, Jean-Marc

2008, Slaughter, Ana R., Hamiduzzaman, Mollah Md., Katia Gindro, Neuhaus, Jean-Marc, Mauch-Mani, Brigitte

BABA, a non-protein amino acid, was used to induce resistance in grapevine against downy mildew. BABA-induced resistance was observed in the susceptible cv. Chasselas as well as in the resistant cv. Solaris. Following BABA treatment, sporulation of Plasmopara viticola was strongly reduced and the accumulation of stilbenes increased with time following infection. Induction of trans-piceide, trans-resveratrol and, more importantly, of trans-ɛ- and trans-δ-viniferin and trans-pterostilbene was observed in BABA-primed Chasselas. On the other hand, induction of trans-resveratrol, trans δ-viniferin and trans-pterostilbene was observed in BABA-primed Solaris. The accumulation of stilbenes in BABA-primed Solaris was much higher than that found in BABA-primed Chasselas. Furthermore, BABA-treatment of Solaris led to a rapid increase in transcript levels of three genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway: phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase and stilbene synthase. BABA-primed Chasselas showed increased transcript levels for cinnamate-4-hydroxylase and stilbene synthase. Here we show that pre-treatment of a susceptible grapevine cultivar with BABA prior to infection with P. viticola primed the accumulation of specific phytoalexins that are undetectable in non-BABA-primed plants. As a result, the susceptible cultivar became more resistant to downy mildew.

2005, Hamiduzzaman, Mollah Md., Jakab, Gabor, Barnavon, Laurent, Neuhaus, Jean-Marc, Mauch-Mani, Brigitte

β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) was used to induce resistance in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) against downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola). This led to a strong reduction of mycelial growth and sporulation in the susceptible cv. Chasselas. Comparing different inducers, the best protection was achieved with BABA followed by jasmonic acid (JA), whereas benzo (1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothionic acid-S-methyl ester (a salicylic acid [SA] analog) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment did not increase the resistance significantly. Marker genes for the SA and JA pathways showed potentiated expression patterns in BABA-treated plants following infection. The callose synthesis inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose partially suppressed BABA- and JA-induced resistance against P. viticola in Chasselas. Application of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase inhibitor 2-aminoindan-2-phosphonic acid and the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitor 5, 8, 11, 14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) also led to a reduction of BABA-induced resistance (BABA-IR), suggesting that callose deposition as well as defense mechanisms depending on phenylpropanoids and the JA pathways all contribute to BABA-IR. The similar phenotype of BABA- and JA-induced resistance, the potentiated expression pattern of JA-regulated genes (LOX-9 and PR-4) following BABA treatment, and the suppression of BABA-IR with ETYA suggest an involvement of the JA pathway in BABA-IR of grapevine leading to a primed deposition of callose and lignin around the infection sites.