DIR1 Protein and Its Role in Plant Resistance
Author Information
Author(s): Marc J Champigny, Heather Shearer, Asif Mohammad, Karen Haines, Melody Neumann, Roger Thilmony, Sheng Yang He, Pierre Fobert, Nancy Dengler, Robin K Cameron
Primary Institution: McMaster University
Hypothesis
DIR1 is hypothesized to chaperone a small signaling molecule to distant tissues during Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) in Arabidopsis.
Conclusion
DIR1 is expressed in all living cell types of the vasculature and is well situated to participate in long-distance signaling during SAR, despite its expression decreasing during SAR induction.
Supporting Evidence
- DIR1 is expressed in seedlings, flowers, and mature leaf cells.
- DIR1 expression decreases during SAR induction but remains present in vascular tissues.
- DIR1's ER signal sequence targets it for secretion to the cell wall.
Takeaway
DIR1 helps plants send signals to protect themselves from diseases, even though it gets less active when the plant is under attack.
Methodology
Transgenic lines were created to examine DIR1 expression using GUS and EGFP reporters, and various inoculation experiments were conducted to assess DIR1's role in SAR.
Limitations
The study does not address the precise cellular mechanisms governing the initiation of SAR.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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