Polyamine homeostasis in tomato biotic/abiotic stress cross-tolerance

• Published in: Gene 2020-02, Vol.727, p.144230-144230, Article 144230
• Main Authors: Tsaniklidis, Georgios, Pappi, Polyxeni, Tsafouros, Athanasios, Charova, Spyridoula N., Nikoloudakis, Nikolaos, Roussos, Petros A., Paschalidis, Konstantinos A., Delis, Costas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biogenic Polyamines - metabolism; CMV; Cold stress; Gene Expression - genetics; Gene Expression Profiling - methods; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - genetics; Homeostasis; Hydrogen Peroxide - metabolism; Lycopersicon esculentum - genetics; Lycopersicon esculentum - metabolism; Plant Proteins - genetics; Polyamines; Polyamines - metabolism; PVY; Solanum lycopersicum; Stress, Physiological - genetics; Stress, Physiological - physiology
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.144230

•Polyamine metabolism is differentially regulated upon CMV/PVY infection or/and Cold stress to maintain homeostasis in tomato plants.•Low temperature and virus proliferation synergistically promote tomato immunity and adaptive responses to diverse stimuli.•Concurrent stress activates a priming-like mechanism of cross-tolerance in tomato. Adverse conditions and biotic strain can lead to significant losses and impose limitations on plant yield. Polyamines (PAs) serve as regulatory molecules for both abiotic/biotic stress responses and cell protection in unfavourable environments. In this work, the transcription pattern of 24 genes orchestrating PA metabolism was investigated in Cucumber Mosaic Virus or Potato Virus Y infected and cold stressed tomato plants. Expression analysis revealed a differential/pleiotropic pattern of gene regulation in PA homeostasis upon biotic, abiotic or combined stress stimuli, thus revealing a discrete response specific to diverse stimuli: (i) biotic stress-influenced genes, (ii) abiotic stress-influenced genes, and (iii) concurrent biotic/abiotic stress-regulated genes. The results support different roles for PAs against abiotic and biotic stress. The expression of several genes, significantly induced under cold stress conditions, is mitigated by a previous viral infection, indicating a possible priming-like mechanism in tomato plants pointing to crosstalk among stress signalling. Several genes and resulting enzymes of PA catabolism were stimulated upon viral infection. Hence, we suggest that PA catabolism resulting in elevated H2O2 levels could mediate defence against viral infection. However, after chilling, the activities of enzymes implicated in PA catabolism remained relatively stable or slightly reduced. This correlates to an increase in free PA content, designating a per se protective role of these compounds against abiotic stress.