2012 Volume 78 Issue 4 Pages 309-312
In tomato, induced resistance mediated by Pythium oligandrum (PO) is accompanied by enhanced production of ethylene and expression of a gene encoding β-cyanoalanine synthase (β-CAS), which catalyzes the detoxification of cyanide to β-cyanoalanine. We analyzed the activity of β-CAS in tomato after treatment with PO and the defence reactions by examining gene expression of tomato treated with β-cyanoalanine. The β-CAS activity significantly increased in tomato roots treated with an oospore suspension of PO, and the β-cyanoalanine treatment activated the expression of the jasmonic acid (JA)-related defence gene, LePR6. Increased activity of β-CAS and subsequent production of β-cyanoalanine may thus activate the JA-dependent defence reaction in PO-treated tomato plants.
