Mixed DAMP/MAMP oligosaccharides promote both growth and defense against fungal pathogens of cucumber

Pring, S.; Kato, H.; Taniuchi, K.; Camagna, M.; Saito, M.; Tanaka, A.; Merritt, B. A.; Arguello-Miranda, O.; Sato, I.; Chiba, S.; Takemoto, D.

doi:10.1101/2024.12.27.630494

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.12.27.630494

Mixed DAMP/MAMP oligosaccharides promote both growth and defense against fungal pathogens of cucumber

Pring, S.·Kato, H.·Taniuchi, K.·Camagna, M.·Saito, M.·Tanaka, A.·Merritt, B. A.·Arguello-Miranda, O.·Sato, I.·Chiba, S.·Takemoto, D.

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Abstract

Plants recognize a variety of environmental molecules, thereby triggering appropriate responses to biotic or abiotic stresses. Substances containing microbes-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are representative inducers of pathogen resistance and damage repair, thus treatment of healthy plants with such substances can pre-activate plant immunity and cell repair functions. In this study, the effects of DAMP/MAMP oligosaccharides mixture (Oligo-Mix) derived from plant cell wall (cello-oligosaccharide and xylo-oligosaccharide), and fungal cell wall (chitin-oligosaccharide) were examined in cucumber. Treatment of cucumber with Oligo-Mix promoted root germination and plant growth, along with increased chlorophyll contents in the leaves. Oligo-Mix treatment also induced typical defense responses such as MAP kinase activation and callose deposition in leaves. Pretreatment of Oligo-Mix enhanced disease resistance of cucumber leaves against pathogenic fungi Podosphaera xanthii (powdery mildew) and Colletotrichum orbiculare (anthracnose). Oligo-Mix treatment increased the induction of hypersensitive cell death around the infection site of pathogens, which inhibited further infection and the conidial formation of pathogens on the cucumber leaves. RNA-seq analysis revealed that Oligo-Mix treatment upregulated genes associated with plant structural reinforcement, responses to abiotic stresses and plant defense. These results suggested that Oligo-Mix has beneficial effects on growth and disease resistance in cucumber, making it a promising biostimulant for agricultural application.

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Pring, S., Kato, H., Taniuchi, K., Camagna, M., Saito, M., Tanaka, A., Merritt, B. A., Arguello-Miranda, O., Sato, I., Chiba, S., Takemoto, D.. 2024-12-28. Mixed DAMP/MAMP oligosaccharides promote both growth and defense against fungal pathogens of cucumber. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.27.630494

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