Abstract
A proteinaceous elicitor from a pathogenic fungus induced programmed cell death (PCD) accompanied by cytoplasmic condensation and shrinkage in suspension-cultured tobacco (BY-2) cells. Various plasma membrane ion fluxes such as Ca2+ influx, Cl- efflux and H+ influx were induced within a few minutes after elicitation. Mitochondrial dysfunction was observed prior to PCD. Serial observations of vacuoles loaded with a fluorescent dye accumulated in the vacuolar lumen revealed that collapse of vacuoles were also induced prior to PCD. Possible functions of the vacuole in elicitor-induced PCD will be discussed.
