Biology subjects

Lison, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Lison, P..

9 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Hydroxylated monoterpenes mimic bacterial attack to trigger jasmonate-dependent self-amplifying immunity in tomato

Hydroxylated monoterpenes (HMTPs) are emitted during resistant tomato-Pseudomonas syringae interactions and confer antibacterial resistance, yet their integration into immune signalling remains poorly understood. Here we show that HMTPs act as endogenous mimics of pathogen attack that engage canonical defence pathways in tomato. Using -terpineol as a representative HMTP, we demonstrate that this volatile activates MPK kinase-, calcium- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent signalling, promotes jasmonate and salicylic acid accumulation, and induces pathogen-like stomatal immunity independently of abscisic acid. Functional analyses revealed that HMTPs biosynthesis depends on ROS and jasmonate signalling, and HMTPs further promote their own accumulation, establishing a self-reinforcing feed-forward mechanism. Moreover, in vitro oxidative conditions drive chemical remodelling and selective interconversion among HMTPs, contributing to volatile diversification and favouring the accumulation of highly bioactive hydroxylated forms. Consistently, deuterium-labelled linalool is incorporated into plant metabolism and converted into deuterated -terpineol in planta, providing direct evidence for volatile interconversion. Together, our findings establish HMTPs as dynamic amplifiers of tomato antibacterial immunity and key actors in pathogen-associated signalling.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Antagonistic and Synergistic Roles of Tomato AFP3 Isoforms in Hormonal Regulation and Development

The ABA INSENSITIVE5 BINDING PROTEIN (AFP) family plays a critical role in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling through interaction with the transcription factor ABI5, impacting seed germination and stress responses. Here, we characterize tomato AFP3, which produces two isoforms: a full-length protein and a shorter microProtein (sAFP3) containing only the C-terminal domain. Functional analyses reveal contrasting roles of these isoforms in development; while AFP3 overexpression accelerates shoot growth but impairs seed germination, both afp3 loss-of-function and sAFP3-expressing mutants (afp3-D) exhibit stunted growth and developmental defects. Transcriptome profiling highlights that AFP3 and sAFP3 differentially regulate hormone-related pathways, including salicylic acid, gibberellic acid, and jasmonic acid metabolism. Proteomic interaction studies demonstrate that AFP3 and sAFP3 physically interact, sharing partners involved in hormone signaling. Hormone quantification confirms that AFP3 modulates multiple phytohormones, with elevated ABA in afp3-D mutants and increased gibberellic acid, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid in both afp3 and afp3-D mutant backgrounds. Moreover, AFP3 controls flower and fruit development, influencing yield and ripening. Together, these findings identify AFP3 as a key integrator of hormonal crosstalk that coordinates growth, development, and stress responses in tomato. The production of dual AFP3 isoforms through alternative transcription, combined with microProtein-mediated dominant-negative regulation, reveals a sophisticated mechanism for dynamically fine-tuning transcriptional networks. This versatile strategy underscores how plants--and potentially other organisms--achieve precise control over complex signaling pathways.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Loss of tomato geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase 2 increases monoterpenoid levels and enhances immune responses to bacterial infection

Many plastidial isoprenoids, including diterpenes and photosynthesis-related isoprenoids such as carotenoids and chlorophylls, derive from C20 geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), produced by GGPP synthase (GGPPS) enzymes. Heterodimers of GGPPS and non-catalytic type I small subunit (SSU-I) proteins produce C10 geranyl diphosphate (GPP), the precursor of monoterpenes. Three plastidial GGPPS isoforms, referred to as SlG1-3, are present in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Here we explored their contribution to the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of isoprenoid origin under normal conditions and in response to infection with Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato (Pst). Edited lines lacking SlG2 showed a distinctive VOC profile compared to unedited (WT) plants and mutants impaired in SlG1 or SlG3. In particular, only slg2 mutants showed constitutively increased levels of GPP-derived hydroxylated monoterpenes (HMTPs). Upon Pst infection, slg2 plants accumulated higher levels of salicylic acid (SA) and exhibited increase resistance compared to WT controls, resulting in reduced levels of VOCs associated to cell death. Our findings suggest that SlG2 regulates GPP synthesis, potentially by specifically competing with other GGPPS isoforms for heterodimerization with SSU-I. Increased GPP production in slg2 plants could lead to higher HMTPs levels, which may result in elevated SA content, and subsequently enhanced protection against bacterial infection.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2024

The Plantae Visualization Platform: a comprehensive web-based tool for the integration, visualization, and analysis of omic data across plant and related species

The increasing availability of omics data from non-model plant species has created a pressing need for centralized, user-friendly platforms that maximize the utility of these datasets in a FAIR manner. Here, we introduce PlantaeViz, a web-based tool designed for the integration, visualization, and analysis of multi-omics data across a wide range of plant species. PlantaeViz offers advanced functionalities, including gene catalogues built from curated literature, transcriptomic meta-analyses presented as gene expression atlases, gene co-expression and regulatory networks with on-the-fly ontology analyses, cistrome visualization and metabolomics-transcriptomics integration, among other tools, providing a robust framework for hypothesis generation and biological interpretation. Gene Cards applications, tailored to each plant species, provide both community-curated and automatically generated functional annotation information. One of the platforms core features is its big data approach: over 58,000 publicly available SRA transcriptomic samples have been processed and visualized to date. Significant efforts have been made in orthology assessment using multiple layers of evidence, as well as in the automatic classification and standardization of omics metadata through regular expressions and data mining. As a result, around 90% of transcriptomic runs have been successfully classified according to sample tissue. These data have been used to construct gene networks via computationally intensive methods based on diverse algorithms. We present a study case to illustrate the platforms integration and exploratory capabilities. PlantaeViz bridges genomics and functional knowledge between model and non-model plant species and aims to expand its species catalogue of species in the future, democratizing access to large-scale plant omics data. Further developments will include the incorporation of additional data types, and the implementation of new tools to further support plant research across diverse biological contexts.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2024

TOR Inhibition Enhances Autophagic Flux and Immune Response in Tomato Plants Against PSTVd Infection

Viroids are small, non-coding RNA pathogens known for their ability to cause severe plant diseases. Despite their simple structure, viroids like Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVd) can interfere plant cellular processes, including both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, thereby impacting plant growth and yield. In this study, we have investigated the role of the Target Of Rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway in modulating viroid pathogenesis in tomato plants infected with PSTVd. Our findings reveal that PSTVd infection induces the accumulation of the selective autophagy receptor NBR1, potentially inhibiting autophagic flux. Pharmacological inhibition of TOR with AZD8055 mitigated PSTVd symptomatology by reducing viroid accumulation. Furthermore, TOR inhibition promoted the recovery of autophagic flux through NBR1 and primed the plant defence response, as evidenced by enhanced expression of both the defence-related gene PR1b and S5H, a gene involved in the salicylic acid catabolism. These results suggest a novel role for TOR in regulating viroid-induced pathogenesis and highlight the potential of TOR inhibitors as tools for enhancing plant resistance against viroid infections.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Signaling mechanisms and agricultural applications of (Z)-3-Hexenyl Butyrate-mediated stomatal closure

Biotic and abiotic stresses can severely limit crop productivity. In response to drought, plants close stomata to prevent water loss. Besides, stomata are considered the main entrance of several pathogens. Therefore, the development of natural products to control stomata closure can be considered a sustainable strategy to cope with stresses in agriculture. Plants respond to different stresses by releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Green leaf volatiles (GLVs), which are commonly produced across different plant species after tissue damage, comprise an important group within VOCs. Among them, (Z)-3-hexenyl butyrate (HB) was described as a natural inducer of stomatal closure, playing an important role in stomatal immunity, although its mechanism of action is still unknown. Here, through different genetic, pharmacological, and biochemical approaches, we uncover that HB perception initiates various defense signaling events such as activation of Ca2+ permeable channels, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) and production of NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, HB-mediated stomata closure resulted to be independent of abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and signaling. Additionally, exogenous treatments with HB alleviate water stress and improve fruit productivity in tomato plants. The efficacy of HB was also tested under open field conditions, leading to enhanced resistance against Phytophthora spp. and Pseudomonas syringae infection in potato and tomato plants, respectively. Taken together, our results provide insights into HB signaling transduction pathway, confirming its role in stomatal closure and plant immune system activation, and proposing HB as a new phytoprotectant for the sustainable control of biotic and abiotic stresses in agriculture.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Metabolic crosstalk between hydroxylated monoterpenes and salicylic acid in tomato defence response against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato

Hydroxylated monoterpenes (HMTPs) are differentially emitted by tomato plants efficiently resisting a bacterial infection. We have studied the defensive role of these volatiles in the tomato response to bacteria, whose main entrance are stomata apertures. Treatments with some HMTPs resulted in stomatal closure and PR1 induction. Particularly, -terpineol induced stomatal closure in a salicylic (SA) and abscisic acid-independent manner, and conferred resistance to bacteria. Interestingly, transgenic tomato plants overexpressing or silencing the monoterpene synthase MTS1, which displayed alterations in the emission of HMTPs, exhibited changes in the stomatal aperture but not in plant resistance. Measures of both 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-2,4-cyclopyrophosphate (MEcPP) and SA levels, revealed a competition for MEcPP by the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway and the SA biosynthesis activation, thus explaining the absence of phenotype in transgenic plants. These results were confirmed by chemical inhibition or activation of the MEP pathway. Besides, treatments with BTH, a SA functional analogue, conferred enhanced resistance in transgenic tomato plants overexpressing MTS1. Finally, plants overexpressing MTS1 induced PR1 and stomata closure in neighbouring plants. Our results confirm the role of HMTPs in both intra and inter-plant immune signalling, and reveal a metabolic crosstalk between the MEP and SA pathways in tomato plants. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=124 SRC="FIGDIR/small/539605v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (19K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1048cddorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1bc1948org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ff0eaorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@101c4fa_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG Metabolic crosstalk between hydroxylated monoterpenes and salicylic acid in tomato defence response against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. Created with BioRender.com. C_FIG

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Tomato geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase isoform 1 specifically interacts with phytoene synthase isoform 3 to produce strigolactones in tomato roots.

O_LICarotenoids are photoprotectant pigments and precursors of the hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones (SL). Carotenoids are produced in plastids from geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), which is diverted to the carotenoid pathway by phytoene synthase (PSY). In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), 3 genes encode plastid-targeted GGPP synthases (SlG1 to 3) and 3 genes encode PSY isoforms (PSY1 to 3). C_LIO_LIHere we investigated the function of SlG1 by generating loss-of-function lines and combining their metabolic and physiological phenotypes with gene co-expression and co-immunoprecipitation analyses. C_LIO_LILeaves and fruits of slg1 lines showed a wild-type phenotype in terms of isoprenoid accumulation, photosynthesis and development. Consistently, SlG1 is co-expressed with PSY3 and other genes involved in the production of carotenoids and SL (but not ABA) only in roots. SlG1 was also found to physically interact with the root-specific PSY3 isoform (and not with PSY1 and PSY2). Root SL (but not ABA) levels were reduced in slg1 lines. C_LIO_LIOur results confirm a specific role of SlG1 in SL production in combination with PSY3. This role appears to be restricted to roots as slg1 plants do not exhibit the shoot phenotype displayed by other SL-deficient mutants. C_LI

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2022

SlS5H silencing reveals specific pathogen-triggered salicylic acid metabolism in tomato

The phytohormone salicylic acid (SA or 2-hydroxybenzoic acid) plays an important role in plant biotic and abiotic responses. Gentisic acid (GA or 2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-DHBA) is the product of the SA 5-hydroxylation which is catalysed by the S5H enzyme, also known as DMR6. GA has been described to accumulate at high levels in compatible plant-pathogen interactions such as tomato plants infected by Citrus Exocortis Viroid (CEVd), and to a much lesser extend upon Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 pv. tomato (Pst) infection. Here we describe the specific effect that tomato SlS5H impairment produces on both plant-pathogen interactions. The induction of SlS5H in tomato plants by different pathogens was corroborated by qRT-PCR and correlated with previously described 2,5-DHBA accumulations. Transient SlS5H over-expression assays in Nicotiana benthamiana confirmed that SA is a substrate for SlS5H in vivo. RNAi_SlS5H tomato transgenic plants were generated and characterized upon CEVd and Pst infections. Transgenic tomato plants displayed an activation of defences and therefore a loss of susceptibility against both pathogens, and alternative SA homeostasis seems to occur for each specific interaction. Metabolomic assays revealed that whilst the glycosylated form of SA was the most discriminant metabolite found in CEVd infected RNAi_SlS5H transgenic plants, trans-feruloyldopamine, feruloylquinic acid, feruloylgalactarate and 2-hydroxyglutarate were the most accumulated compounds in the Pst-infected transgenic tomato leaves. Transgenic lines also displayed hyper susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea, as well as a smaller size and early senescence. Collectively, our results reveal a novel mechanism by which tomato plants specifically set SA homeostasis upon different pathogen attacks. One sentence summaryThe impairment of SA hydroxylation in tomato plants uncovers specific SA homeostasis upon CEVd or Pseudomonas syringae infections.

biochemistry↗