Abstract
Trichothecene mycotoxin family is synthesized by fungal plant pathogen Fusarium species. Trichothecene-contaminated cereals do harm to the health of animals and human. In animal cells, trichothecenes such as T-2 toxin trigger a ribotoxic stress response that activates JNK and p38MAPK and induces apoptosis. Trichothecenes are thought to be virulence factors in wheat head scab, their effects in plants are barely understood. We found that T-2 toxin also inhibited the protein synthesis in Arabidopsis suspension cells. Furthermore, T-2 toxin induced lesion formation in Arabidopsis leaves. T-2 toxin-induced lesions exhibited many dying cells, accumulation of callose deposition and autofluorescent materials, indicating that these lesions share many features with HR lesions. In addition, ROIs and SA/SAG were accumulated in T-2 toxin-injected leaves. In gel-kinase assays revealed that T-2 toxin activates the 47 and 44 kDa MAPK. Treatment of Arabidopsis with T-2 toxin induced expression of defense-related genes such as PR-1 and PDF1.2.
